The English asparagus season will be one of the latest on record. Continuing cold weather has meant that this week early spears had not even begun to appear to give growers themselves the first taste of the season. Victor Aveling, chairman of the Asparagus Growers' Assocation with its 100 or so members representing the majority of the industry, hopes that cutting will start in about 10 days. But he is not confident. "It is entirely a question of having enough sun to raise soil temperatures, and so far that has not happened," he added. The season when it gets under way will last for some six weeks. The AGA has launched its own web site with members' addresses and details of a postal ordering service. {{M/E FRESH PRODUCE }}