Status: April 6th, 2021 7:13 pm
The asparagus season begins. The stalls will open in a few days. In order for this to work out, 1,000 harvest workers are needed in Schleswig-Holstein. Because of the corona pandemic, there are strict requirements for helpers from abroad.
From now on, the fields of farmer Andreas Löding in Buchholz near Ratzeburg (Duchy of Lauenburg district) are harvested daily. The harvest workers manage a quarter of a hectare per day, that’s around 150 kilos. They have to be pricked by hand by the helpers. One asparagus cutter works per row. More are not allowed – because of the corona distance rules.
Many requirements for the helpers
The corona requirements for the asparagus harvest are strict: there must be a negative test from the home country, before starting the job, the asparagus cutter must be quarantined for ten days and corona tests carried out twice a week. Only the same five helpers are allowed to work together in a team; the working groups are not allowed to mix. Andreas Löding therefore had to invest several thousand euros in the accommodations for his 20 helpers. Extra quarantine rooms also had to be purchased – for emergencies.
But Löding is hoping for a corona-free season – also so that he can soon welcome guests to his farm again. Until then, customers can get the asparagus in the colorful stalls in the region – for just under 18 euros a kilo fresh from the field.
additional Information
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