Carlos Solf, from Southern Specialties (USA):
“Asparagus prices will rise once Canada and Michigan have finished their season.”

Current asparagus supply in the United States is good, with several regions currently in production, such as Michigan. In terms of imports, Canada, Peru, and Mexico are also shipping this vegetable. However, both Canada and Michigan are nearing the end of their season.

“As of now, asparagus production is equal to or slightly higher than last year,” says Carlos Solf, Vice President of Procurement at Southern Specialties, who adds that asparagus quality has been good across all regions. “Central Mexico is beginning its season, which will have an impact.”

The company ships its products from Grand Rapids (Michigan), McAllen (Texas), and its facilities in Pompano Beach (Florida).

A slightly shifted schedule compared to 2024

Regarding the season’s timing, all regions started one to two weeks later than initially forecast.

Demand remains steady, but “asparagus prices are currently $1 to $2 higher than in previous weeks,” notes Solf, who highlights that one of the main challenges is balancing costs with consumer demand. “A slight price increase can also be expected once Canada and Michigan have completed their production.”

For more information:
Charlie Eagle
Southern Specialties
Tel.: +1 (404) 949-0944
ceagle@southspec.com
www.southernspecialties.com

Publication date: Thursday, June 26, 2025
© FreshPlaza.es / Astrid van den Broek

Between January and April 2025, Peruvian air exports reached 36,203 tons, a 32.2% increase compared to the same period last year. This was reported by the Foreign Trade Society of Peru (Comex Perú), which attributes the growth to higher volumes of products such as fresh mangoes, asparagus, and blueberries. Together, these three products accounted for 65.36% of the total volume shipped by air.

The main product exported by air during the first four months of the year was fresh mango, with 14,348 tons—a 70.7% year-on-year increase—representing 39.63% of total air exports.

Fresh or chilled asparagus ranked second with 7,420 tons, up 9.4% and representing 20.50%. Next came fresh blueberries with 1,896 tons, a 26.5% increase, accounting for 5.24% of the total.

Strong Growth in April 2025

In April 2025 alone, air exports reached 9,825 tons, up 69.9% compared to April 2024.

Fresh mango remained the top product with 3,537 tons—a surge of 287.7%—accounting for 36.0% of the monthly volume. Fresh or chilled asparagus followed with 2,136 tons, an 83.1% increase from last year, making up 21.74% of the total.

Other notable products included non-ground or powdered ginger (522 tons, -4%), fresh pomegranates (390 tons, -0.9%), and fresh blueberries (329 tons, +17.5%).

Source: agraria.pe
Cover photo: © Valentyn75 | Dreamstime
Publication date: Thursday, June 26, 2025

The 2025 Peruvian asparagus season is showing clear signs of recovery, driven by favorable weather conditions and corrective agronomic practices. By May, Peru had exported 39,436 tons of asparagus, representing a 42% increase compared to the same period the previous year.

This growth in volume generated $126 million in revenue, up 18% from 2024, although accompanied by a 17% drop in the average price, which stands at $3.19 per kilo. The main destinations are the United States and Europe, two strategic markets for Peruvian asparagus.

Encouraging outlook, but uncertainties remain

Prospects for the rest of the year are optimistic. Export volumes are expected to exceed 2024 levels by more than 30%. Additionally, the early end of the Spanish season due to persistent rains could open a window of opportunity from June onward, potentially leading to price recovery if paired with an effective commercial strategy.

However, the abundance of supply and downward pressure on prices are creating uncertainty in the sector. In the absence of attractive margins and a clear strategy to boost international demand, some producers have opted to reduce rather than expand their planted areas.

Peruvian asparagus is mostly produced under a model where small farmers supply large exporting companies. In unfavorable periods, this system leaves little room to reinvest capital. This structure may limit the sector’s ability to adapt to new market challenges.

United States and Europe: two different contexts

From a commercial standpoint, the United States remains the main destination. Although annual consumption exceeds 300,000 tons, domestic production only covers 10–15% of that demand. Mexico dominates the supply, increasingly focusing on premium varieties, while Peru remains oriented toward conventional asparagus, posing a challenge as American consumer preferences evolve.

In Europe, the dynamics are different. Countries like Spain, Italy, and Greece produce primarily for their own consumption. However, the seasonal nature of the European market leaves room for Peru to step in outside local harvest periods. Still, growth potential is limited, as imports only account for 15–20% of total demand.

Source: freshfruit.pe
Cover photo: © Picture Partners | Dreamstime

“The French asparagus season is not over yet”

The asparagus season began relatively early in April, thanks to the spring sunshine in northern France, but the situation has completely changed over the past ten days. The reason? A sudden drop in consumption that is slowing production.

“No one wants asparagus anymore. It feels like the season is over, even though production is still active in several regions. In April, we were selling 40 crates in our farm shop; now we’re barely selling 10, and wholesalers at the market want nothing to do with it anymore,” explains Olivier Thomas, manager of La Ferme du Pont d’Achelles.

Earlier harvests shift the peak consumption period

The situation is reminiscent of 2022, with similar difficulties tied to weak consumer demand.

“When we started growing asparagus 20 years ago, the season began in May, with a peak around Mother’s Day. Today, thanks to advances in cultivation techniques, we can start as early as early April. Major production areas in the South have also pushed their harvests forward—some even begin in February. As a result, consumers tire of asparagus more quickly. They’re happy to see it at the start of spring, but by the end of May, they want something else. Whereas Mother’s Day used to mark the peak of the season, this year consumption during that time was very low,” says Olivier Thomas.

Impossible to compete with Belgian and Dutch prices

A bitter reality, made worse by other factors.

“Last year, consumption held up through the end of May because it was rainy—people didn’t feel like eating summer products. This year, spring 2025 has been warmer and sunnier, so by the end of May, people were done with asparagus, especially since the season began in March. They’re ready to move on. On top of that, Dutch and Belgian asparagus is currently being sold at €2/kg at the Lomme wholesale market (MIN). It’s a strategy: when they have too much product, the Belgians and Dutch send it abroad at unbeatable prices to ease pressure on their domestic markets. And that, of course, hurts French producers.”

A premature end to the season expected

Faced with a lack of outlets, the season may end earlier than planned:
“We could have continued harvesting for another month, but it doesn’t make sense if we can’t sell. We still have asparagus in cold storage, and labor costs are high. We’ve already stopped harvesting on 3 hectares to avoid having to throw the product away.”

Even if consumers seem to have moved on from the 2025 season, and the campaign is indeed over in major southern production zones, production is far from finished elsewhere:
“There’s still asparagus in the North, Brittany, Île-de-France, and even in the Centre region. Alsace is still going strong with a dynamic local market. There aren’t even any RNM market listings for our region anymore, even though there’s still produce available. Once the big producers stop, it feels like the season is over. But there are still many small independent growers, and it feels like we’ve been forgotten, even though our campaign is still ongoing.”

For more information:
Olivier Thomas and Françoise Thomas
La Ferme du Pont d’Achelles
Tel.: +33 3 20 48 60 43
laferme-dupontdachelles@orange.fr
https://www.lafermedupontdachelles.fr

Publication date: Friday, May 30, 2025
© FreshPlaza.es / Aurélie Pintat