After calling up several associations, thousands of volunteers in North Rhine-Westphalia have registered for the asparagus harvest. “Some are not concerned with money at all, others are on short-time work and need an additional job,” said Bernhard Rüb from the North Rhine-Westphalia Chamber of Agriculture.
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The government is trying to take all possible measures to curb the corona pandemic. As part of these measures, she initially prohibited foreign harvest workers from entering the country. Usually, a number of seasonal workers come to Germany every year during the asparagus harvest weeks, many from Poland and Romania.
Farmers are increasingly trying on the Internet to mobilize harvest workers. On platforms like www.daslandhilft.de volunteers can apply for such jobs.
But even if enough harvest helpers could be mobilized in this way: a smooth start of the harvest is hardly to be expected. “Asparagus stinging cannot be learned so quickly,” said Rüb. The vegetables are not easy to see with the naked eye and a certain technique is required to avoid damaging the sticks in the ground.
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Seasonal workers are also needed in other areas of agriculture. According to the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, the demand in March is around 30,000 and is increasing to about 85,000 in May. “If vegetables cannot be planted now, the market will suffer from May,” said Agriculture Minister Julia Klöckner recently.
The government is examining how the shortfall can be compensated for. Klöckner has proposed the use of asylum seekers, even if they have not yet had a work permit. The SPD faction vice Matthias Miersch spoke of an “opportunity for different groups, such as students or people in short-time work”. Credit limits for recipients of short-time work benefits have already been significantly expanded.
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The government also plans to use available workers more. Seasonal workers are allowed to do short-term employment until the end of October work for a total of 115 working days without social security; so far the limit was 70 days.
In order to inhibit the further spread of the corona virus, the Federal Government has also temporarily closed restaurants and inns. This will also hit farmers such as asparagus growers hard. The considerable proportion that the hospitality industry normally buys is completely absent this year due to the contact restrictions against the corona virus, said Rüb. The asparagus price should therefore be comparatively low in 2020.
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