Unusual weather patterns linked to El Niño are causing shortage and quality issues set to last weeks
Peru’s asparagus growers are reporting reductions of around 30 per cent, with prices reportedly doubling in the past 10 days, according to producer Wealmoor.
The shortage follows months of unusual weather patterns linked to El Niño with fluctuating temperatures affecting both yield and quality.
Wealmoor, a major UK supplier of the vegetable with its own production in Peru, expects supplies to remain constrained for several more weeks, although the outlook will depend largely on weather conditions.
Wealmoor CEO Avnish Malde said: “We initially saw cooler-than-normal conditions, followed by temperatures running probably 3-4°C above seasonal norms as the main harvest was beginning. This is caused by the onset of warmer temperatures in the ocean.”
The higher temperatures have resulted in thinner asparagus spears, with more produce falling below the preferred export specifications for European markets. This has reduced the volumes available for export to both the UK and continental Europe.
Warmer conditions have also increased pest pressure, forcing exporters to apply stricter selection processes to Europe’s phytosanitary standards, further constraining supply.
Malde said: “At the same time, supplies from Mexico are declining as the deal from southern Baja comes to an end. The production from northern Baja is only just starting and is typically a pretty small volume anyway, so that has proven as far as creating additional competition from the US for what’s available.”
US asparagus importer and distributor Harvest Sensations reported on Instagram that growing seasons in the US and Canada are coming to a close. As more production areas exit the market, demand is becoming increasingly concentrated on the remaining sources. This has created a more “active market environment” and placed upward pressure on pricing.
Malde added: “We expect supplies probably to remain tight in the short term while the premium crop recovers. But as always with asparagus, weather remains the biggest variable. If it warms up or if it starts to become cooler during nights with modest daytime temperatures, the market can change quite quickly.”
Foodservice supply consultant Vernon Mascarenhas reported that restaurants in London have been affected by the shortage, with no Peruvian asparagus available at New Covent Garden Market in the week commencing 13 June. This has caused problems for restaurants that switch from British to Peruvian crop when the UK season ends, which happened especially suddenly this year.
