After a start to the season marked by unfavorable weather conditions that had a profound impact on production operations, the asparagus campaign seems to be facing a rather favorable turnaround. At Planasa Darbonne, a subsidiary of the Darbonne Planasa group and a major player in the sector, the last few weeks have seen a reversal in the trend, offering a much more encouraging outlook as the key consumption periods approach.
© AOP Asperges de France
An initial delay offset by an acceleration in volumes
"The rain prevented us from getting into the fields and working our land properly, which caused a delay at the start of the campaign," explains Frédéric Faillières, EMEA head of Northern European Business at Planasa. But the situation changed quickly. "The hot weather of the last fortnight has completely revived production, with a very strong growth dynamic."
While this delay will not be fully made up in terms of schedule, the volumes will be back on track. "We started our campaign on March 10th. We always prefer to start harvesting when volumes are sufficient, in order to optimize organization and labor profitability. Today, we are at normal levels for the season, or even higher for a March start. And by next week, volumes are set to pick up." This is a reassuring development, particularly in the run-up to Easter, a key period for the marketing of asparagus. However, this acceleration remains conditional on stable temperatures. "Once in production, asparagus plants do not like cold spells. We remain vigilant, hoping that temperatures will be relatively stable so as not to impact this fine dynamic."
High quality in a receptive market
As well as volumes, quality is also up to scratch, and even slightly better than usual. "Growth is rapid, which means that the asparagus do not stay in the beds as long and are less affected by the cold," explains Frédéric Faillières. This is a key factor to obtain a uniform, visually attractive product.
In terms of sales, everything looks positive. "Asparagus is eagerly awaited, and demand is high. The difficulty at the start of the season was really felt in production, where operations were severely delayed by the unfavorable weather at the start of the year. But as producers, we are used to dealing with these setbacks and adapting accordingly."
For more information:
Frederic Faillieres
Northern European Business Director
Planasa
8229 Avenue des Pyrénées
33114 Le Barp, France
Phone: +33 557 715 600
