Waikato cold snap freezes large field of asparagus crop

Boyds Asparagus says they woke up on October 7, 2022 to see frost had frozen spears across their 160-hectare asparagus crop. Photo / Supplied / Boyds Asparagus

By Sally Murphy of RNZ

A cold snap has frozen the asparagus crop of one of the country's largest growers in Waikato this morning.

Based near Cambridge, Boyds Asparagus co-owner Andrew Keany said the frozen spears could not be used and would be cut down over the next day or two.

"Any spears above the ground, whether they're one centimetre or 25 centimetres above the ground, they're frozen and need to be cut down, because they're not sellable."

The crop was growing across 160 hectares, which accounted for about half of New Zealand's market, Keany said.

"There's still plenty of growers around the country that will be picking today, so there might be a slight shortage for a day or two, but I don't think consumers will notice," he said.

Boyds Asparagus expects to lose a week's revenue as a result of the frost. Photo / Supplied / Boyds Asparagus

"Asparagus is an amazing crop because it continues to produce spears so our crop hasn't been destroyed, production will just stop for a few days while the new spears come up."

The company would lose revenue for a week because there was no product to sell, Keany said.

"We've been doing this a long time and it's not uncommon to get a frost, but it's come a bit later than we'd like and it was a really hard frost.

"Basically, it's just like we are starting the season again, we've been going for five weeks already this will knock us for a week but then we'll be back at it."

- RNZ