Asparagus season 2025: price explosion and threatened livelihoods!

Asparagus season 2025: price explosion and threatened livelihoods!

The 2025 asparagus season, which ended on June 24th, St. John's Day, brought a problem-free harvest in the Weilheim-Schongau district due to the weather, but many farmers are facing serious challenges. Simon Schumacher, spokesman for the Association of South German Asparagus and Strawberry Growers, emphasizes that some companies have already stopped producing asparagus due to economic pressure. There is no large area under cultivation in the region, but local producers still offer asparagus from their own production. The price of asparagus varies between ten and twenty euros per kilo; German goods can occasionally be found in supermarkets for around five euros. However, this price means that customers are noticeably reluctant to buy, as Merkur reports.

In the background of this precarious situation is the increase in the minimum wage, which is to be increased to 13.80 euros from January 2026 and to 14.60 euros from January 2027. These upcoming wage increases are worrying asparagus and strawberry growers as they will further increase harvest costs. Agrar Today reports fears among farmers who fear that such changes could endanger their existence. While the Union, represented by Federal Agriculture Minister Rainer, would like to advocate an exception for foreign seasonal workers, the SPD parliamentary group leader Matthias Miersch rejects this because it would contradict the ban on discrimination enshrined in European law.

The change in asparagus production

The challenges for domestic asparagus cultivation are not only characterized by rising labor costs. The cultivation of green asparagus is increasing, with new farms cultivating a dark green variety that can be harvested from early May to late June. At the same time, many farmers complain that bureaucracy and succession problems are putting a strain on their businesses. According to Land und Forst, the area under cultivation for strawberries has decreased by 24% and that for asparagus by 33% since 2015. One in four asparagus farms have stopped production, which is a worrying trend.

There is also an interesting development among seasonal workers. The proportion of Polish workers is falling while more and more Romanians come to Germany to work in the fields, where the hourly wage in Romania is only 4.87 euros. In 2023, around 243,000 people worked as seasonal workers in agriculture, making up 27% of all employees. Although IG BAU is in favor of the minimum wage increase, it rejects special regulations for agriculture. Therefore, the pressure on domestic products is increased by rising production costs and competition from cheaper imports.

A look at the future

Future harvesting methods and improving working conditions for seasonal workers are being sought as possible solutions. This also includes the introduction of new production processes, such as strawberries on racks, which are, however, capital intensive. The Lower Saxony state government is also planning a central skilled worker placement office to make it easier to attract foreign workers. Political measures are urgently needed to secure domestic production and ensure fair working conditions. The domestic market is changing and farmers have to constantly question their profitability in order to survive in the competition.