Since mid-March, there has been a large asparagus trade in this country: about five percent of the product has already been sold to luxury restaurants, retailers and the like, but the complex harvest is putting many companies to the test. As is known, there is a shortage of harvest aids…
Local entrepreneurs assess the early start of the “King of Vegetables” with both a laughing and a crying look. While in many places the cookbooks for the green, white or purple vitamin donor are already being taken off the shelves despite large margins, frost damage also caused a stir in the red-white-red asparagus growing areas.
There is a lot of activity on Werner Magoschitz’s farm during the local inspection of the “Krone” in Mannsdorf an der Donau (Lower Austria). Full work will start this week. Although many steps are already completed by machines, the human factor is also needed here.
Foreman Vincent Farkas (52) from nearby Slovakia directs the interaction between field and processing. For almost 25 years he has been supporting the Magoschitz farming family on its way to becoming a top local company. “At first I didn’t even know what asparagus actually was, but now I probably know the cultures better than the boss,” says Farkas. For older farmers, such model employees are worth their weight in gold, especially because the shortage of skilled labor obviously also has consequences for agriculture.
Always cheaper: competition from abroad and Europe
Between 180 and 200 seasonal workers work on the asparagus farm from mid-March to mid-June. Through neighborhood assistance and collaboration with other industries, smart ways were found to retain the helpers. However, new forces are rarely found anymore, and when they are, they come from Romania or Ukraine. The “edge of our horizon” will soon be reached: “We cultivate 120 hectares, but have already had to scale back production. The cheap competition from Peru, Hungary, Italy and France is of course a problem for us, but the lack of skilled labor and high labor costs have become the biggest problem.”
About the strict inspections by the labor inspectorate, AMA & Co. and he no longer wants to discuss the hard issues with retailers. All I can say is this: “I wouldn’t start the company in this form today,” the manager said bluntly. In the future, his four children will also have to deal with this if they want to take over the large company at all.
Until then, Werner Magoschitz has full confidence in the consumer. Domestic goods may seem more expensive at first glance, but they also have to meet high standards. The fact is: local products always win when it comes to taste, as the asparagus farmer’s prominent customers prove – such as the world-famous luxury restaurant Steirereck in Vienna. Marchfeld asparagus is characterized by its delicious size of 22 centimeters. The shorter, the better.
“We need professionals, not hobby gardeners from the city”
Farmers’ president Johannes Schmuckenschlager (ÖVP) calls for more movement in politics and society in an interview:
“Kron”: Mr Schmuckenschlager, agricultural work is very hard and demanding. Who should do that in the future?
Johannes Schmuckenschlager: Good question, I honestly don’t know. Apart from the farmers, things look bleak. We are currently well positioned with the seasonal worker quota, but we are in an area of tension. Moreover, it is almost impossible to find new external forces. Aid workers from Hungary or Slovakia usually already work in other areas – often better paid – in their country of origin. That is why some companies in the country recruit employees in the Far East.
Why don’t we also look for helpers on the domestic labor market?
Attempts have already been made in Austria to employ the unemployed in agriculture. But these projects all failed, you have to be honest. Unfortunately, I don’t see a decent willingness to work at the moment. We also need skilled workers and not hobby gardeners from the city.
Maybe no one wants to work for such low wages anymore?
I won’t accept that. In recent years we have already achieved some improvements in the areas of remuneration and suitable housing. The black sheep in our sector have largely been eliminated. But you need to look at the wage issue in detail and discuss it.
How?
Something like this: Anyone demonstrating for higher wages in the fall should also be aware that there will be higher food prices in the spring. A large part of the prices is determined by labor costs. There can therefore only be fair wages if there are also fair prices for local goods. The farmers work hard for their money, but others do not.
Source: Krone
I’m Ben Stock, a journalist and author at Today Times Live. I specialize in economic news and have been working in the news industry for over five years. My experience spans from local journalism to international business reporting. In my career I’ve had the opportunity to interview some of the world’s leading economists and financial experts, giving me an insight into global trends that is unique among journalists.
