In Spain, asparagus lies unpicked as lockdown shuts out migrant workers

A field of asparagus is seen during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Torre del Burgo, Spain, April 20, 2020. REUTERS/Juan Medina

TORRE DEL BURGO, Spain, April 21 (Reuters) - About half of farmer Jaime Urbina's asparagus crop lies unpicked in his fields in central Spain as border closures to curb the coronavirus block Eastern European seasonal labourers.

Right at peak food-harvesting time, farms across the nation have a shortfall of thousands of workers. Asparagus, especially, requires a lot of labour as it is harvested piece-by-piece.