Abundant asparagus supply from Caborca, Mexico expected

Asparagus production in Caborca, Mexico is ramping up. “This is one of the largest asparagus growing regions, known for bringing high volumes to market in a short period of time,” says Adriana Fortune with Gourmet Trading Company. The season runs from late January through April before it transitions to Baja, Mexico. In the past five to seven years, Gourmet Trading has significantly expanded its Baja production, now having availability for nine months of the year out of this region only.

Once production moves to Baja, the availability of asparagus in North America becomes more plentiful as more regions come into production. “The U.S. domestic season starts up with supply from Washington state running from May through the end of June while Peru supplies asparagus year-round with production peaking in October and November.” These regions combined allow for consistent asparagus supply throughout the year.

With volume from Caborca, Mexico ramping up, the industry is working on rolling out promotions for late February and early March. “We are anticipating an abundant supply of high-quality asparagus from Caborca during that time,” said Fortune.

Adriana Fortune pictured in asparagus field.

Strong demand ahead
The market for green asparagus has been strong recently as less volume is typically available in December and January. As a result, retail prices have risen slightly. “However, they have remained well below last year’s peak when some stores were selling asparagus for $7.99+ per bunch.” A combination of retail promotions and a late Easter holiday are expected to result in strong demand in the months ahead. “Easter has traditionally been a strong holiday for asparagus sales, and we expect robust consumer demand, which is a great sign for the market,” Fortune commented. She recommends retailers to explore promotional opportunities in order to maximize sales volume.

For more information:
Adriana Fortune
Gourmet Trading Co.
adrianaf@gourmettrading.com
www.gourmettrading.net