From luxury vegetables to slow sellers…!
In 2022, asparagus farmers will be left with a large part of their harvest – a Germany-wide trend. Farmer President Joachim Rulwied: “People are more hesitant, the decrease is restrained”.
This is probably a consequence of the increased prices in all areas of life: When fuel, heating and all other groceries become significantly more expensive, many people avoid what was once the German’s favorite vegetable.
“On the other hand, our producers are confronted with dumping imports, such as three euros for a kilogram of asparagus from Italy,” explains Rulwied. You can’t produce like that.
Supermarkets (e.g. Edeka, Berlin) now offer 500 grams for EUR 2.99 – cheaper than tomatoes. The “white gold” is being sold at a sale. The average price for German white asparagus is 6.92 per kilo – minus 14 percent compared to the previous year.
Rolf Meinhardt, asparagus farmer from southern Hesse, gives up a third of his harvest, more than 60 tons. Meinhardt to BILD: “It’s just not worth it. I’d rather not harvest my asparagus before selling it to discounters.” The costs of harvesting would simply exceed the selling price – Meinhardt has already sent his harvest workers home. In his area, four companies would have given up asparagus production this year.
The asparagus farmer continues: “If you want regional products from Germany, you have to be aware of the production costs. However, this ‘cheap is cool’ attitude of many customers gives us a hard time.”
Asparagus would have to cost between 9 and 11 euros per kilo in order to be able to produce it cost-effectively in Germany, explains Meinhardt.
However, the minimum wage of 12 euros will continue to drive up the price in the coming year.