AU: Koo Wee Rup asparagus growers reaping bumper crops
Dalmore grower Allan McDonald said the weather in recent weeks had virtually guaranteed a premium crop.
“We’re now two-thirds of the way through the harvest and it’s obvious we’ve got a high yield of top-quality spears,” Mr McDonald said. “It’s something we needed badly after the problems of recent years. But we’re now counting on asparagus lovers to get down to their favourite supermarkets and enjoy.”
Mr McDonald said cutters on his 56ha of crops were working long hours to get the harvest in quickly.
“We have crews of about 17 or 18 working each area. One group starts at 1am and finishes around mid-morning. Another cuts all through the night,” Mr McDonald said. “We try to avoid cutting during the heat of the day.”
The crop is harvested largely by hand, with cutters using a knife edge on the end of a 50cm shaft. Individual spears are tied together in bundles and dropped every few metres along the furrows.
Victoria produces more than 95 per cent of Australia’s asparagus and the bulk of that comes from the Koo Wee Rup-Dalmore region.
Australian Asparagus Council spokeswoman, Vikki Leng said this year’s crop was outstanding, especially when compared with the last two years. “This season we should see good, steady supplies of top-quality spears in shops,” Ms Leng said.
Source: heraldsun.com.au
