German farmers give asparagus and strawberries the ax – DW – 07/18/2025
German fields produced fewer strawberries and asparagus in 2025 than at any point in recent memory, the country's Federal Statistical Office said on Friday.
Experts have warned that the trend looks set to continue as rising costs make growing the crops increasingly unviable for farmers.
Preliminary data showed just 75,500 tons of open-field strawberries were harvested — the lowest level in 30 years and 4% below the already low 2024 figures. The asparagus harvest also hit a 15-year low, with only 98,900 tons collected in open fields, the smallest yield since 2010.
The slump is largely down to a shrinkage in the amount of land given over to growing both products.
In 2025, farmers planted 4% less land with strawberries and 6% less with asparagus.
Many growers say they can no longer cover rising costs — especially wages — through prices passed on to consumers.
"At the end of the day, we're all businesspeople," said Karsten Schmal, president of the Hessian Farmers' Association. "If the risk becomes too great, people stop growing these crops."
Growers like Georg Merlau, an asparagus farmer in Darmstadt, told the DPA news agency that only premium outlets, such as on-farm shops, offer prices that make production of the prized stalks viable. Merlau said he had already cut his asparagus acreage from 105 to 80 hectares, citing sizable annual increases in labor costs.
Germany's self-sufficiency in strawberries has fallen sharply, from 68% in 2015 to just 50% today, according to the Agricultural Market Information Company (AMI). One exception to the decline with strawberries is protected cultivation — berries grown in greenhouses or under high covers. Such setups offer longer seasons, easier harvesting while standing, and higher yields per hectare.
Strawberries and asparagus are rapidly turning into luxury items.
This year, white German asparagus cost consumers an average of €9.63 (roughly $11.22) per kilo, up 4% from last year. Strawberries averaged €6.86 per kilo between May and mid-July, nearly unchanged from 2024, but up 70% compared to 2015.
Demand for both foods remains great. They are highly seasonal and associated with the joys of summer and springtime.
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Asparagus is particularly beloved among Germans, with "Spargelzeit" (asparagus season) a cultural event marked by dedicated menus and roadside stands. Some German communities even have asparagus festivals, complete with the crowning of an Asparagus Queen.
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