The asparagus season has got off to a flying start at the Lebourg family farm in Cestas, Gironde. Despite an initial delay due to bad weather over the winter, production quickly caught up and is now at its peak. This is a dynamic that requires a high level of responsiveness on the ground, both in terms of teams and overall organization.
© Lebourg
A delayed start to the season
"We started shipping at the end of February, but those were really the very first asparagus. The real start came two weeks later, at the beginning of March," explains Thibaut Lebourg. The winter was marked by capricious weather, with wind and heavy rain, which slowed down the development of the crops and made it temporarily impossible to work on the plots.
A rapid rise in production
Despite this delay, the start of the season saw a turnaround thanks to the exceptional weather. "With the return of the sun, the soil quickly warmed up, and production picked up very quickly. Today, we are already at the peak of production, which is great, with Easter just two weeks away." Usually more gradual, this year's increase in volumes has been brutal, enabling us to quickly reach levels equivalent to those of last year.
Anticipation essential to keep pace
This sudden acceleration meant that our teams had to adapt immediately. "Usually, we have more time to ramp up. In this case, we had to be ready very quickly, with large volumes right from the start. Our harvesters were immediately thrown into the deep end." Anticipation was key. "Fortunately, we had envisaged this scenario because we had to mobilize the workforce very quickly, both at harvesting and at the station." As a result, the teams were quickly immersed in the fast pace of the campaign.
© Lebourg
Exceptional quality
While the earliness and intensity of production are the hallmarks of this campaign, the quality of the asparagus is also a strong point. "The harvest is really excellent this year, with some very nice sizes. In fact, it is the first time we have had asparagus of this quality," explains Thibaut Lebourg. The cold winter is thought to have contributed to the larger sizes, although other factors are also involved. "Of course, quality depends on many factors, but we also do everything we can in production to obtain the best asparagus possible."
Prices start to decrease as volumes arrive
In terms of sales, the campaign is following a classic trajectory. "We started with fairly high prices." As is the case every year, higher volumes automatically lead to lower prices. "Since Monday morning, with production booming at most of the region's operators, prices have decreased slightly more than last week." Nevertheless, the market remains balanced for the time being. "Prices are still decent, and we hope that this will continue over the coming weeks."
For more information:
Thibaut Lebourg
Lebourg
https://www.lebourg-agri.fr
