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There is a shortage of asparagus in South Africa and less asparagus has been exported from its traditional suppliers.
It was reported on the Johannesburg municipal market’s website that an extremely low number of asparagus was sold on 8 June 2023 (200g punnets) at R140 (6,8 Euros) per kilogram.
The traditional asparagus import season runs from the beginning of March until the end of August. Imports are mainly from Mexico and Peru. This year lower volumes have been imported and the weakening of the rand-dollar exchange rate makes it an expensive product to procure.
Read more about fruit and vegetable smuggling.
Local asparagus industry in transition
There are very few commercial asparagus producers left in South Africa and FreshPlaza says little re-investment is made in traditional areas like Ficksburg in the Free State. However, new asparagus projects elsewhere in the Free State and in neighbouring countries are getting underway.
Asparagus demands long-term investment. The plants only reach maturity in the third year of growth and old plants should be removed and replaced every fifteen years. The time scale of asparagus growth, as well as factors like labour costs, might deter investors, but fortunately, there is a good demand in South Africa. – FreshPlaza
Loadshedding friendly recipes to celebrate World Avo Month this June
The avo, with all its delicious creaminess, is a firm winter favourite! Its availability throughout the cooler months in South Africa and its versatility in warm dishes makes it a winter winner – which is a good thing, because June just happens to be World Avo Month.
If there’s one thing we all crave during winter it’s comfort food, and you couldn’t get more comforting than melt-in-your-mouth avos. You can add an avo to practically any winter dish as a wholesome side or topper, or make avo the star of your winter warmer starter, mains or dessert.
