British asparagus is set to dominate supermarket shelves after a sudden burst of sunshine ended a cold snap that had delayed the domestic crop and sparked shopper anger over imports. The traditional season, which began on 23 April, was hampered by unseasonably cold weather, forcing retailers to stock asparagus from Peru, Mexico, Italy, and Spain.
Chris Chinn, chair of the Asparagus Growers Association, said the recent sunny days helped the crop 'grow like stink', producing a bumper flush. 'The spears are like little thermometers,' he explained, noting that soil temperatures had finally risen above the 10°C needed for growth. Under optimal conditions, asparagus can grow up to 10cm in a day.
Shoppers had complained about imported asparagus during what is considered the peak British season. Jake Fiennes posted a picture of Co-op asparagus from Peru, calling it 'so wrong'. The Co-op responded that the cold snap delayed its Sussex-grown supply, but from Monday it would be '100% British'. Waitrose also reported a delayed core season but now has strong UK supply.
The weather challenges have affected other crops too, with the British strawberry season delayed by two weeks. However, growers say the slower ripening has resulted in unusually large, juicy fruits. Farmers faced record-breaking winter rain followed by a wet, cold spring, leaving fields flooded and crops damaged.
