U.S. asparagus production by state 2009-2019

Asparagus production in the United States is concentrated between three states: California, Michigan, and Washington. In 2019, Washington produced about 225.5 thousand centrum weight of asparagus, slightly more than Michigan’s production volume of 282 thousand centrum weight.

Asparagus production worldwide

Asparagus is a healthy and delicious vegetable which does well in environments in which the soil freezes in the wintertime or places with dry seasons. Though the United States produced around 34.1 thousand metric tons of asparagus in 2017, this is rather insignificant on a global scale. China had the highest production volume of asparagus in that year, at 7.8 million metric tons. Peru, Mexico, and Germany are also major producers of asparagus.

Vegetable consumption in the U.S.

On average, Americans consume around 1.76 pounds of asparagus a year, making it one of the least popular vegetables in the United States in 2018. In stark contrast, per capita consumption of tomatoes and onions among Americans in 2018 amounted to 20.6 and 20.4 pounds, respectively. This might be explained by the fact that tomatoes and onions are main ingredients in many different foods, such as sauces, sandwiches, and salads.