The Hessian asparagus farmers do not want to know anything about a crisis. Despite sales problems in the previous year, higher minimum wage and inflation, they are positive about the upcoming season. "I don't see a crisis, this is simply a market adjustment," said the chairman of the working group Asparagus South Hesse, Rolf Meinhardt, the German press Agency. According to the farmers' association, farmers have in some cases significantly reduced their cultivation areas. "The large quantities of asparagus last year led to an oversupply, many farmers could not get rid of their asparagus."

Because of the war in Ukraine, energy costs are also high. Farmers have also had to pay a higher minimum wage since October, 12 euros per hour instead of 10.45 euros. "The minimum wage hits the companies hard," says the association. The logical consequence would be to take higher prices for the vegetables.

The asparagus farmers don't want to know anything about this. They want to keep the vegetables at the price level of the previous year. For a kilogram of premium asparagus, prices will be well below 20 euros, Meinhardt said. "There are also asparagus under ten euros, so there is something for every budget."

The minimum wage, of course, makes the farmers to create, said Meinhardt. They have taken unprofitable plants out of production and are trying to increase efficiency. "The trend will be 20 percent less asparagus," he believes. "We tried to turn all the screws on costs." Fortunately, energy and fertilizer prices fell again. In addition, fewer staff are needed and employees can be selected, which has not been possible in recent years due to the corona pandemic. In view of the rising minimum wages, he also believes in the use of harvesting robots in a few years.

Nevertheless, the past few years have caused some farmers a hard time. "Especially in the case of small and medium-sized farms, some have stopped," says the farmers' association. Many tried to hold out for a while. But if it doesn't improve, even more plan to stop. Meinhardt also fears this. "The trend will be for small businesses to break down."

Season officially starts on April 5

According to the Hessian Ministry of the Environment, 100 farms in Hesse produced a total asparagus harvest of almost 8000,117 tons last year. In the previous year, there were 9500 farms with a harvest of more than 5 tonnes. According to the ministry, this year's asparagus season will officially open on April <>.

Meinhardt wants to start harvesting these days and offer the noble vegetables at the first stalls on Friday (24 March). "First and foremost, our focus is on direct marketing." But the food trade must also realize that something has to be paid for the asparagus. "We are on the right track to negotiate."

Currently, farmers are expecting decent yields, Meinhardt said. "The conditions are optimal." With a more offensive marketing, you want to bring the vegetables back to the consumers. "It is important that we sell the asparagus well, at reasonably fair prices." And he also believes that asparagus will be bought again this year. "People are just fed up with bad news."

According to the Federal Statistical Office, 110,300 tons of asparagus were harvested throughout Germany last year. The cultivation area in the yield of the more than 1465 farms was 21,267 hectares. The asparagus harvest in Germany usually begins in the second half of April and traditionally lasts until "St. John's Day" on 24 June.