- Title: GERMANY: Eastern European workers help to get German asparagus season underway
- Date: 18th April 2008
- Summary: (CEEF) BEELITZ, GERMANY (APRIL 17, 2008) (REUTERS) ASPARAGUS FIELD WORKER REMOVING PLASTIC COVER FROM ASPARAGUS CROPS ASPARAGUS GROWING OUT OF GROUND "ASPARAGUS QUEEN", JOSEPHINE REICHE SMILING VARIOUS OF REICHE PULLING ASPARAGUS FROM THE GROUND REICHE HOLDING FIRST ASPARAGUS HARVESTED IN 2008 PEOPLE WATCHING AND HOLDING UMBRELLAS BASKET FULL OF NEW ASPARAGUS LADIES IN T
- Embargoed: 3rd May 2008 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Germany
- Country: Germany
- Topics: Industry,Employment
- Reuters ID: LVA36F7GWKI9PNIPKMGV8CA6MEYH
- Story Text: The German asparagus season got off to a wet start on Thursday (April 17) as rain fell on the famous asparagus crops outside the eastern town of Beelitz. Despite the damp conditions, the 2008 "Asparagus Queen", Josephin Reiche, happily carried out the tradition of harvesting the first asparagus stem from the ground.
But this season's harvest would not have the same success if it were not for the influx of seasonal workers from Eastern Europe, who come to Germany ever year to work on the fields.
Ernst- August Winkelmann, owner of one of the larger asparagus farms in the area, says these workers are a vital part of his company.
"This year we have a few workers from Romania but the majority of the workforce comes from Poland. Our seasonal workers are extremely important to the company and if we didn't have them then we wouldn't be able to work as well. We always try to make sure that our seasonal labourers like their work and so far we have had no problems finding people to employ," he said.
There had been concerns of a possible lack of workers this season due to many labourers opting to travel further afield, to places like the UK and Ireland where wages are generally higher. But Winkelmann says he has not had problems finding staff.
He employs around 600 people from Eastern Europe each year.
"We don't have a problem. But it is true that many of our workers who have been coming here for the asparagus harvest for ten or fifteen years, have taken time out and have gone to England to work. And some of those who decided to stay abroad for the whole year to work never came back. But the majority come back, because even though you can earn more money in agriculture in England, the cost of living is much higher," he said.
Many of the workers, like Wieslaw Semenowicz from Poland, say they are happy to work in Germany and return year after year to the same asparagus farms.
"I've been coming to work the asparagus harvest for the last three years. I have an acre of land at home, but I haven't planted anything on it and there are also no jobs there," Semenowicz said.
His job is not an easy one. Wieslaw says he works for ten hours a day and depending on the weather, he can harvest up to 200 kilograms of asparagus each shift. For his work, he receives a basic salary of 900 euros a month after tax.
Winkelmann says it is a job many Germans are unwilling to do, as they are not prepared to work so hard for the wages offered.
The start of the asparagus season is seen as a reason to celebrate in Germany with farms across the country holding festivals to mark the day. This often involves a trip to the fields to see the new asparagus being harvested, and of course visitors are given the chance to taste the goods fresh from the field at the end of the day. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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