Even before the traditional end of the harvest season on St. John's Day on June 24, Pfalzmarkt für Obst und Gemüse eG is drawing mixed conclusions for this year's asparagus season: After Pfalzmarkt eG got off to a very good start in nationwide marketing of the royal vegetable at the end of March with excellent quality, the right quantities and producer prices, the market situation for the sales specialists at the Mutterstadt asparagus office quickly took a turn for the worse.
Unstable weather and nationwide surpluses characterize the season
Due in particular to the mixed weather in April and May, the Palatinate's harvest lead and the nationwide marketing window were shorter this year. Hugo Da Mota, a team member at the asparagus office, says: "A relatively early start to the asparagus harvest in other regions of Germany quickly led to regional alternatives and large quantities on the market! As the area under asparagus cultivation had been expanded in some parts of Germany, this led to a rapid decline in prices for the 20 asparagus growers at Pfalzmarkt eG, despite the high costs of asparagus cultivation."
Sustained high demand as a sign of quality and customer service
Hugo Da Mota continues: "Because we did not follow this trend of increasing acreage, we had too little produce in some cases due to the weather and the resulting slow growth of asparagus at the start of the season. Unfortunately, the very good demand for top-quality produce from the southwest and the excellent customer service provided during marketing are no real consolation. Due to increasing price pressure and significant surpluses in May/June, market prices for the distribution specialists from Mutterstadt were in some cases below production costs. High consumer prices for asparagus led to a certain degree of customer restraint, which was also not conducive to sales."
Direct marketing saves the season for many asparagus farms
There was also a clear contrast between individual farms. Pfalzmarkt producers with farm shops had significantly more leeway due to the trade margin in direct sales. Whether and to what extent they will ultimately record a good or rather mixed asparagus year cannot be assessed at this stage.
Total sales volume will not reach last year's result
A comparison of the initial figures with those for the previous year shows that the 20 active asparagus producers at Pfalzmarkt eG are unlikely to reach the total sales volume of 832,000 kg achieved in 2024. One week before St. John's Day, around 750,000 kg of white and green asparagus were sold via the trading platform in Mutterstadt. Interestingly, the share of green asparagus rose from 7 to around 7.5 per cent. In line with the decline in volumes, sales are also falling. Pfalzmarkt eG does not expect to reach the 4.2 million euros achieved in 2024.
Cultivation area and number of producers almost at previous year's level
In 2025, the cultivation area and the number of asparagus producers at Pfalzmarkt eG were almost identical to the previous year's level at around 650 hectares. Pfalzmarkt eG offers three grades and a total of 23 different calibrations for white and green asparagus throughout the season. As daily quantities fluctuate depending on the weather, ranging from 0.5 to 28 tons so far this season, the ups and downs in temperatures have been a challenge for both producers and marketers at the asparagus office at Pfalzmarkt eG! Consumers across Germany love to enjoy asparagus in accordance with tradition. Accordingly, white asparagus is in high demand and is the main variety grown at Pfalzmarkt eG.
High demand from restaurateurs and awards for ambassadors of taste
Positive demand is coming from the restaurant industry, which is traditionally one of the most important customers for "Pfälzer Spargel" (Palatinate asparagus). Peeled asparagus is particularly in demand, which Pfalzmarkt eG has been offering throughout the year following a positive test in 2025. To recognize the importance of these important ambassadors of taste, the "First Pound of Palatinate Asparagus" was awarded this year on the Pfalzmarkt eG trading platform to chef Marc Dutschmann from "Dutschmann's Kapellchen" in Wachenheim.
Weather-related extra work and increased minimum wages are putting pressure on producers
Asparagus is a very labor-intensive vegetable crop. "This is why all domestic producers are under high wage pressure, which has been exacerbated by the minimum wage increase from €12.41 to €12.82 on January 1. Pfalzmarkt eG is traditionally a particularly early and important asparagus producer. Because the soil and mild climate in the Palatinate are ideal for the early cultivation of asparagus and other fruit and vegetable specialties, local cultivation will continue to be necessary in the future," Pfalzmarkt eG concludes.
For more information:
www.pfalzmarkt.de