Asparagus season in full flight: get it while you still can

Above: One of the Farro store's winning entries

The asparagus season is in full flight, with plenty around at prices that represent great value for consumers. 

‘Asparagus is plentiful and very keenly priced, as we near the end of the season,’ says Vegetables NZ Board member and Levin asparagus grower, Cam Lewis.

‘Asparagus is an easy way for people to Add One More Vegetable to their day. It’s great raw, steamed, grilled and baked, and can round out a BBQ.’

Cam says the ‘Queen of veggies’ retail display competition attracted more than 60 entries over the past five weeks.

‘The competition was a way to encourage retailers to mount displays throughout the bulk of the season. We received entries from all the major retailers but we’d really like to thank the Farro group of stores in Auckland, for the considerable effort they made over the whole of the competition.

‘In fact, we have crowned Farro the supreme winner of this year’s Queen of veggies competition.’ 

Asparagus is grown in the Waikato, Hawke’s Bay, Manawatu-Whanganui and Canterbury. The season starts in late September and lasts up until Christmas. The industry started in the 80s when there was a push to diversity New Zealand’s exports and horticulture base. For some time, New Zealand asparagus was exported fresh to Japan, but that is rare today due to the cost of air freight.

Canned asparagus rolls have always been a staple of kiwi get togethers. New Zealand used to can asparagus but today, the cans you buy in the supermarket for your favourite rolls have probably come from Peru.

In Australia, fresh asparagus is still considered a luxury and commands a premium price but in New Zealand, with more plentiful supply, asparagus has become a staple of spring meals and early summer meals, being nutritious and easy to prepare, tasting great and representing good value. 

For cooking tips, click here.