German farmers harvested fewer asparagus in 2022 than they have in years. At 110,300 tons, the harvest was almost eight percent lower than in 2021, as the Federal Statistical Office announced on Tuesday. Less of the stick vegetables was last cut in 2013 with 103,100 tons. Most of the asparagus was taken from the fields in Lower Saxony with 25,300 tons, followed by North Rhine-Westphalia with 20,300 tons and Brandenburg with 18,700 tons.
“One reason for the lower asparagus harvest is likely to be the decline in the area under cultivation,” the statisticians explained. Accordingly, the popular vegetable was only produced on 21,300 hectares. That was almost five percent less than 2021 and the lowest value since 2015. Nevertheless, asparagus remained the vegetable with the largest acreage in Germany, ahead of onions (15,100 hectares) and carrots (13,600 hectares). The purely organic cultivation area for asparagus has grown slightly – by two percent to 1,600 hectares.
A not inconsiderable part of the asparagus consumed in this country comes from abroad. 19,500 tonnes were imported into Germany fresh or chilled last year – almost 29 percent less than the year before. The majority (87 percent) was introduced from March to June, although local farmers also offer their asparagus. The most important country of origin was Spain with a share of 34 percent, followed by Greece with 24 percent and Italy and Peru with twelve percent each.
Comparatively little asparagus is exported from Germany: in 2022 it was only 2900 tons.
“The first outdoor asparagus from the warmer regions of Germany is not available until March at the earliest, but usually in April,” the statisticians explained. “Then it’s also relatively expensive.”
Last April, producer prices for spear vegetables were higher than they had been since the beginning of 2015: asparagus cost a good third more than in April 2021.
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