This year, the asparagus season began with a general delay of 2 to 3 weeks. The reason? Unstable weather, with especially cool nights that have prevented the warming of the soil ridges and thus slowed asparagus growth. “The season started slowly across the country. The Southeast usually comes in a week to 15 days ahead of the Southwest, but this year it was the opposite. In fact, under these late-start conditions, the Southwest had the best campaign launch,” says Christian Befve, internationally recognized asparagus production expert.
“We nearly ran out of volume for Easter”
Despite delayed volumes, the market is fairly balanced, with good-quality asparagus:
“In terms of quality, there’s nothing to complain about. We’re also seeing larger calibers this year. As for prices, the initial lack of supply pushed them very high at the start of the season, before settling at a more acceptable level for both producers and consumers. The fact that we’re not overwhelmed with volumes helps keep prices decent. We nearly ran out of stock for Easter this year, and we’re still short now.”
A minor “Dutch offensive” last week with little impact
In this market setup—reasonable volumes, fair prices, and limited foreign competition—consumer demand remains strong:
“We’re facing very little European competition this year due to poor weather affecting all producer countries, which favors French asparagus demand. The week before Easter, high-quality asparagus from the Netherlands entered the market at €3.50/kg (delivered to Rungis).
The Dutch are known for selling their surplus at very low prices abroad to ease their local market when supply exceeds demand. Last year, this lasted about two weeks and heavily disrupted the market. But this year, that small offensive had little effect. Buyers now recognize how short-lived such operations are.”
Renewed interest in asparagus planting
With a slightly under-supplied but promising market, more producers are showing interest in growing asparagus or expanding their acreage:
“I’ve been saying for two years now that the difficult seasons are behind us and it’s time to replant. We’re seeing renewed momentum. We should be in a stable cycle for the next ten years.
Still, growers must plan their 2026 planting needs now and communicate them to nurseries that sow in April. For years, nurseries have had to throw away crowns. To avoid economic losses, they now only grow to order.
It’s crucial for producers to send their planting requests now to secure the varieties they want.”
For more information:
Christian Befve
Christian Befve & Co
christian@befve.com
www.befve.com
Publication date: Wed, April 23, 2025
© FreshPlaza.fr / Aurélie Pintat
