Despite the recent cold snap, this year’s mild winter weather and improved growing methods from farmers have resulted in asparagus crops reaching readiness up to ten weeks early in Worcestershire. Asparagus is not normally harvested until April, though as the vegetable’s popularity grows growers have begun to compete to produce ever-earlier crops.

S&A Produce, of Great Witley, near Worcester, said improved growing methods and greater efficiency led to the incredibly early crop. Although the traditional asparagus season does not begin for over two months, growers in the UK had previously managed to produce asparagus for stores by mid-march.

Asparagus has undergone an image revamp in recent years; over the past five years, asparagus production in the UK has grown by 160 per cent.

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