The social affairs ministry has dropped a campaign to improve working conditions for asparagus pickers following complaints from growers that it stigmatised the entire industry.

The campaign slogan ‘Hollandse asperges, met de romige creme van moderne slavernij‘ (Dutch asparagus, with a creamy modern slavery sauce) is a generalisation and damaging to the sector, the southern farmers’ association ZLTO said.
There have been several instances of asparagus growers failing to pay pickers properly. Illegal workers are common in the market gardening sector because of the low rates of pay and seasonal work.