Italy: Violet asparagus 37.5% more expensive than green variety

The production of violet asparagus is small, but the variety's demand is on the rise. "Sometimes, it…

The production of violet asparagus is small, but the variety's demand is on the rise. "Sometimes, its price rises above 2 Euro per kilo," states Luigi Catalano, manager at Gala Fruit. For him, "the main difference is the colour, because the taste is the same as that of green asparagus."

This product, which is sold both in Italy and abroad, is very popular in countries such as France, Switzerland and the UK, which buy 65% of the total Italian production. The rest is sold in three cities where it is especially famous: Campania, Apulia and Tuscany. In total, "we are selling about 15,000 kilos of asparagus of this variety," says Catalano.

At the moment, the price is high, as the violet asparagus currently on the market is the first to hit the shelves this year. The price ranges between 4 and 5.50 Euro, depending on the origin; a very similar price to the one it had last year at this time.