Since the second week of March, the first fresh asparagus from heated regional cultivation has been available in stores in western Germany. Due to high production costs and limited available quantities, prices for these first asparagus spears traditionally tend to be higher at retail. "Here we have felt this year the general stronger price sensitivity of consumers," explains Alexander Scheufen, Sales Manager Vegetables at Landgard West Obst & Gemüse GmbH, after the first weeks of the asparagus season.
Asparagus producer Thorsten Clemens / Image: Clemens Gartenbau
From Easter onwards, consumers in the West can now look forward to the first asparagus grown outdoors in the region. In week 15 - and thus a good one to two weeks later than last year due to the cool March temperatures - Landgard member farms in the Lower Rhine, Rhineland and Spreewald regions will begin harvesting larger quantities of asparagus from unheated cultivation. The first outdoor produce still comes from asparagus ridges, which are protected by several mini-tunnels and up to three layers of film to bring the harvest forward. "However, this cultivation system is only suitable for bringing forward a limited area under cultivation due to the higher costs involved," explains Thorsten Clemens.
Fresh local asparagus / Image: Landgard/Green Solutions
Different film covers and varieties
Together with his team, he grows outdoor asparagus on 45 hectares at the Clemens horticultural farm in Nettetal-Leuth. The first asparagus shoots were cut here in the last weeks of March, and the Clemens family's outdoor season really gets underway after Easter. "In order to manage harvest volumes as well as possible, we use different film covers and grow early, medium and late varieties on our land, which require different temperature ranges for growth. We also regularly test new varieties together with our suppliers and see how they perform in cultivation practice," says Thorsten Clemens.
The further course of the asparagus season is, as always, strongly
depends on the weather. "If the temperatures pick up, we are expecting good overall quantities and qualities at prices at last year's level," says Alexander Scheufen.
Further information:Thorsten Clemens
Gartenbau Clemens
Am Hellenberg 19
41334 Nettetal-Leuth
Tel.: +49 (0) 2157 4388
Fax: +49 (0) 2157 130503
[email protected]
www.gartenbau-clemens.de
www.landgard.de