Navarre's asparagus campaign has started a few weeks early due to the mild temperatures recorded in March and will probably last until late May. The official kick-off will be this Monday, 27 March, with the holding of the first asparagus tasting.
According to data supplied by the Regulatory Council, this year the PGI Espárrago de Navarra forecasts an increase of the registered acreage of at least 200 hectares compared to last year, when there were 1,196 registered hectares, 1,282 plots and 395 producers. In 2016, the production certified for fresh consumption amounted to 87,431 kilos, while a total of 3,024,501 kilos were certified for canning and manufactured by a total of 29 registered canning companies.
Prospects also point to a very high quality production, mostly due, among other factors, to the fact that the plots planted in 2015, which are in very good condition, are now becoming productive (an asparagus plant does not become fully productive until the third year).
The total volume of asparagus intended for fresh consumption has been increasing in recent years, although most of the production continues to be intended for canning. In any case, whether it is fresh or canned, the only way to purchase the authentic Espárrago de Navarra is to make sure that the packaging has the logo and numbered back label that guarantee its origin.
Source: agroinformacion.com
