The white asparagus campaign has already begun in the Tudela de Duero production area in Valladolid. “We've noticed a lot of demand since the beginning of the campaign, like any normal year, even though we had to increase prices by 6% because of the increase in production costs,” stated producer Luis San Jose. “There's been a very important increase in expenses, especially in summer.”
The asparagus plant is very resistant to drought. However, the production and quality of the spring harvest depend on how the crops are taken care of in summer. Thus, it was necessary to increase irrigation when the drought was compounded by the very high summer temperatures.
“Producers use diesel motor pumps to irrigate the crops and the price of diesel was ridiculously high,” Luis stated. While it's true that the drought has been - and unfortunately continues to be - the common challenge for the vast majority of agricultural campaigns, at the moment, the conditions for white asparagus in the area of Tudela de Duero are quite positive and even better than last year. "The rains in December increased water reserves and there have been many frost events that have benefited the crop, so asparagus is sprouting with a lot of strength and quality this year.”
Huerta Luis San José harvests between 100,000 and 120,000 kilos of asparagus a year that is grown on 20 hectares. “This year it seems that all European producers of white asparagus have started their production a little later than usual; including those in the south of France, and it could happen that in the end, they overlapped with the productions of Germany and the Netherlands.”
“In our case, we focus more on the domestic market, but I think this could influence Spanish producers of white asparagus for export, especially a little later when there are more volumes.”
“White asparagus cultivation has become highly dependant on seed houses”
White asparagus is considered a delicacy and its season is highly anticipated. The varietal developments of recent years have helped to improve the characteristics of this traditional vegetable of the Valladolid fields, however, as Luis San Jose points out, there is a high dependence on seed houses to maintain the continuity of the crop.
“In this area of Tudela de Duero, farmers used to take the seeds of their own plants and use them to produce new plants. However, little by little we've lost the Spanish varieties to the point that only one original variety has been preserved in Spain, the asparagus from Huétor Tajar.”
“Breeders have managed to grow only mother plants that produce male seeds, so the plants are sterile; in addition, the asparagus of the producers in the area have been hybridizing with these varieties, and in the end, all are equally sterile.”
“Despite being a paradise for asparagus in terms of land, climate, and water, Spain has been unable to protect, conserve, or even create its own asparagus varieties. That is why I'm fighting so we can develop mother plants so we can have our own seeds and stop relying on seed houses.”
“I have already been testing this out with the CSIC and I have even raised the matter with the Junta de Castilla y León. In addition, I've contacted the Institute of La Mayora, which managed to recover the asparagus of Huétor Tajar,” Luis added.
For more information:
Luis San José
Huerta Luis San José
Calle Solana Alta 41
47320, Tudela de Duero, Valladolid (España)
Tel.: +34 616 889 239 (también para realizar pedidos)
[email protected]
http://huertaluissanjose.com