The British asparagus season is drawing to a close with an early start creating an early finish.
A strong debut in April was undermined by a difficult May. Volumes have been good and are set to be up slightly on last year, although down on early season expectations.
The industry end date remains at 21 June but a large number of producers’ supplies are all but finished. Production may continue into July for a handful of growers.
Asparagus Growers’ Association spokesman Adrian Barlow told FPJ the season has been largely positive. He said: “We had a very strong start in April two to three weeks earlier than normal due to the weather. Unfortunately, May was not as good - it was comparatively cold and dry with some air frost at the beginning of May and production was a little less than anticipated.”
One grower in Kent said the season had simply shifted forward on last year.
Barlow heaped praise on the “extraordinarily successful” PR campaign behind the product, which has seen national TV, radio and print coverage during the short season, and said it could prove the catalyst to further awareness of asparagus year-round. “Household penetration was 16 per cent last year and I think we will see that go up. The English success is lifting the category as a whole and benefiting imports,” he said.
Barlow said the product should be positioned as an “affordable luxury” in the UK long term.
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