Sales slump in asparagus from Hesse

Dhessian asparagus farmers draw a adverse interim stability this season. Full warehouses, average gross sales, rising working prices – in keeping with the Hessian Farmers’ Affiliation, this season of noble greens can have a adverse impression on the stability sheets. “It isn’t so rosy for the time being,” mentioned the chairman of the working group for asparagus in southern Hesse, Rolf Meinhardt, of the German Press Company. He expects a ten to fifteen p.c drop in gross sales in comparison with the 2 earlier Corona years. The farmers’ affiliation expects gross sales of the valuable vegetable to fall by 20 to 30 p.c in comparison with the typical for the previous 5 years.

Due to the sunny days, there’s presently numerous asparagus, mentioned Meinhardt. “However we won’t put up for sale.” After the asparagus went on sale on the finish of March for just below 20 euros per kilogram of the premium high quality vegetable, it’s now being bought at a worth of 12 euros. “Asparagus is now less expensive than in earlier years.” In view of the value will increase for meals and vitality in latest weeks and months, cash is just not that simple anymore. As well as, restaurateurs who used to purchase asparagus wouldn’t have made it by the corona pandemic.

Sufficient harvest helpers

Based on the farmers’ affiliation, there’s presently a pointy drop in costs for asparagus in wholesale. On the similar time, working prices would enhance for farmers, and vitality prices would have doubled. Asparagus fields are already being taken out of manufacturing as a result of fewer gross sales are being harvested. Based on Meinhardt, he has already despatched 30 p.c of his harvest staff residence. After two years of Corona, there at the moment are sufficient staff, there’s sufficient harvest, however individuals are not shopping for the greens as regular.

Based on the Federal Statistical Workplace, 119,268 tons of asparagus have been harvested all through Germany final yr. The acreage of greater than 1,500 farms was 22,283 hectares. Based on the farmers’ affiliation, the noble greens are grown on round 1,650 hectares in Hesse. The asparagus harvest in Germany normally begins in the second half of April and historically lasts till “St. John’s Day” on June twenty fourth. The official begin of the season in Hesse this yr was on April sixth. As a result of nearly unique cultivation beneath foil, the harvest time may very well be prolonged.