Germany’s Asparagus Obsession Faces A Crisis As Production Hits Decade Low

Germany’s long-standing love affair with asparagus is beginning to wilt, as new figures reveal a continued decline in production of the country’s most cherished spring vegetable.

Image: Jens Wolf/dpa/picture-alliance

While asparagus season may pass unnoticed elsewhere, in Germany it’s a national obsession. Supermarkets sell out quickly, restaurants offer dedicated Spargel menus, and entire towns host asparagus festivals, complete with the ceremonial crowning of an Asparagus Queen.

Despite this fervour, asparagus production in Germany has shrunk for the second year running. Data released by the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) on Thursday show a 3% drop in output for 2024, marking the lowest level since 2013.

Although asparagus still claims more farmland than any other vegetable in Germany — around 19,800 hectares — a combination of soaring costs, shifting consumer habits, and labour shortages is dampening the once-celebrated season.

Fewer Hands, Changing Palates

Over the past decade, the number of seasonal workers available to support the asparagus harvest has steadily decreased. Destatis reported that only 28% of Germany’s 243,000 seasonal agricultural workers were involved in asparagus farming during the 2022–23 season.

As tastes evolve and economic pressures mount, some farmers are choosing to abandon the crop altogether. Fields once reserved for asparagus are being turned over to other produce, as diversification becomes an essential strategy in the face of climate change.

Asparagus may still be king in the German vegetable world, but with fewer fans, fewer pickers, and more challenges ahead, the crown is beginning to slip.

Source: DW