Thanks to favorable weather conditions, the season passed without any major difficulties. Demand for asparagus and supply were generally well-balanced. Consumer prices remained stable for the most part and were only above the previous year's level during the slow start to the season, and at the end, above last season's level. Despite further increases in production costs, there were also periods when consumers paid less than in the two previous years. The further decline in asparagus cultivation areas is likely to lead to a slightly lower yield this year compared to the long-term average. The asparagus season officially ends on June 24. Asparagus lovers can still enjoy asparagus until St. John's Day.
"The asparagus season was uneventful this year, with no major challenges. Regional asparagus remains in high demand, and we are delighted that retailers and customers appreciate the quality of our local vegetables. However, we are concerned about the upcoming minimum wage increase in 2026. This year, we have again had to learn of further business closures or the discontinuation of asparagus production on farms because the pressure on entrepreneurs to cover production costs has become too high," explains Simon Schumacher, spokesperson for the Association of South German Asparagus and Strawberry Growers (VSSE).
Predominantly stable weather
"All in all, the weather was good this year. It wasn't too cold or too warm for too long. There were no prolonged heat waves, so there was little overproduction and therefore no drop in prices. The trend of only growing the number of asparagus that can be sold with certainty due to the drastic minimum wage increases is continuing and is leading to supply shortages in some cases," explains asparagus cultivation consultant Dr. Ludger Aldenhoff.
Ralf Große Dankbar, asparagus cultivation consultant in North Rhine-Westphalia, sums up the situation in his state: "We had nice, consistent weather this season. It was never really cold and never really hot. The quantities harvested sold well. The total harvest will be average, if anything. Overall, the mood among the companies is good."
Trend toward domestic green asparagus cultivation intensifies
According to Dr. Ludger Aldenhoff, the trend toward growing green asparagus is continuing and slowly increasing: "For two to three years now, there have also been farms that only grow a dark green variety of asparagus from the beginning of May to the end of June. This is a clear sign that there is also a growing market for green German asparagus."
Ralf Große Dankbar also notes that the area under green asparagus cultivation has been expanded and that there are more and more farms growing light green asparagus without purple discoloration. The domestic green asparagus was very well received on the market.
Good sales with stable consumer prices
Demand for asparagus matched supply for most of the season. According to Agrarmarkt Informations-Gesellschaft, wholesale prices were mostly higher than last year and the long-term average for 2020 to 2024 due to supply and cost factors. "Consumer prices started slightly higher, but then rose towards the end of the season, with a longer period in between when consumers paid similar prices to the previous two years. On a weekly basis, prices fell below the previous year's level due to numerous low-price promotions. Purchasing volumes were correspondingly high during these weeks," explains Claudio Gläßer, market analyst at Agrarmarkt Informations-Gesellschaft.
Another reason for the higher prices in some cases is the fact that, since their record high in 2018, the areas under cultivation have declined steadily in line with demand, meaning that no large quantities of asparagus had to be sold at below-market prices.
For more information:
www.vsse.de