The sunniest March on record has contributed to a bumper early harvest of British asparagus and rhubarb — and sales data shows that consumers are taking full advantage.
Met office figures show that England enjoyed more sunshine this March than any year since records began in 1910, many individual counties topping their sunshine duration records.
Farmers said the prolonged unusually warm weather created the perfect growing conditions for both crops and was a welcome boost after the wettest 18 months on record.
The British asparagus season typically starts in late April and many use as the starting gun St George’s Day — traditionally on April 23 but this year falling next Monday due to the late Easter. But the unexpected warmer weather has brought this forward.
The season ordinarily lasts only for about eight weeks and retailers are reporting that shoppers have been quick to take advantage of plentiful early supplies. Data from Ocado, the online supermarket, shows British rhubarb sales up 88 per cent year on year and sales of asparagus up 12 per cent month on month. Online recipe searches for rhubarb crumble were four times higher last week than a month earlier, according to Google Trends.
The Vale of Evesham in Worcestershire is the most renowned asparagus-growing area in England. Met Office data shows the county received 160 per cent of the average number of sunshine hours in March. Cambridgeshire, also known for its asparagus crop, received 170 per cent of its usual hours.
West Yorkshire’s “rhubarb triangle” — a small area between Wakefield, Morley and Rothwell — is the most famous region for rhubarb cultivation, particularly for the production of Yorkshire forced rhubarb. This type of rhubarb is grown in the dark to produce tender, sweet and vividly pink stalks, quite different from the tougher, greener outdoor varieties.
While greater sunshine does not directly benefit forced rhubarb, the crop benefits from warmer temperatures, which encourage vigorous leaf and stalk growth, improving overall yields. The Met Office said West Yorkshire received 160 per cent of its normal sunshine in March.
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Martha Springham, trading manager at Ocado, said: “The long winter provided a tough backdrop for British farmers but their produce is among the best in the world and it’s fantastic to see shoppers supporting them now that the sunshine is here.”
Chris Chinn, a partner at Cobrey Farms in south Herefordshire, which grows Wye Valley-branded asparagus, blueberries and rhubarb, said: “Being able to show off the best of British is still as exciting as ever. We hope to continue the early momentum for the rest of the season with sunny weather.
“British produce quality remains very high and seeing positive reviews and a growing customer base makes all the effort of the whole team worthwhile.”
The fast start to the asparagus season should help the country boost production this year. Last year 4,400 tonnes of the crop were sold, a fall of 7 per cent on the previous year. At present, 125g of Wye Valley asparagus tips costs £3, as does 400g of pink forced rhubarb.
