W4: Weekly Tomato Update
Turkey
In Turkey, 550 Tons of Tomatoes Produced in the Geothermal Greenhouse (Jan 23)
The Greenhouse Excellence Center was designed as a pioneer in the changing and developing agricultural production models of the region in Turkey, 550 tons of tomatoes were cultivated in the four months from the first harvest. The center has been operating on an area of 53K square meters. The year-round harvest expects to be around 1.250 tons of tomatoes.
Turkey Exported 526K MT of Tomatoes to 54 Countries in 2022 to the Value of USD 377.42M (Jan 23)
Turkey exported 526K MT of tomatoes to 54 countries in 2022 at a value of USD 377.42M. While the export volume declined by 15% YoY, the value increased by approximately 4%, making up for the lower export volume. The increase in exports to the Balkan countries counteracted the lower export volume to Russia.
Value of Tomato Exports in Turkey Is Growing (Jan 25)
In 2022, Turkey exported tomatoes to 54 countries, and the destination markets changed. The increase in exports to the Balkan countries compensated for the contraction in other markets. Turkish tomato exports achieved a value of around USD 377.4M in 2022, up +3.97% from USD 362.9M in 2021. The goal is to raise tomato exports to USD 500M/year for the next few years.
Bulgaria
Third Largest Importer of Turkish Tomatoes Is Bulgaria (Jan 23)
The volume of tomato exports from Turkey in 2022 increased by 4% compared to 2021 - to more than USD 377M. Turkey supplied 526,703 tons of tomatoes to 54 countries, including Romania, Ukraine, Bulgaria, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Czech Republic, Switzerland, and Spain. Bulgaria was the leading importer of tomatoes from Turkey in 2022, importing goods for the amount of USD 38,113M.
Canada
Cold Temperatures Kept Tomato Prices High in the Canadian Market During W4 (Jan 24)
In W4, cooler temperatures kept tomato prices higher than usual in the Canadian Market. Cold temperatures prolong the growing period of tomatoes, as warm weather helps the crop develop faster. Round tomato production has a higher supply of larger sizes, while there is a lower supply at higher prices of the smaller sizes. Prices have stayed around USD 29.91 (CAD 40) for a standard 25lb box, which is about 6% higher YoY.
Indonesia
In Indonesia, the price of tomatoes dropped from USD 0.43/kg to USD 0.1/kg on December 2022. In January 2023, the price dropped even further to USD 0.05/kg on January 2023, due to local distributors only accepting grade 1 quality tomatoes. Almost 200MT tomatoes are being dumped on the street to rot. Farmers are seeking help from the Indonesian government with fertilizer subsidies and export market training to prevent a future collapse of the industry. Inflation kept the fertilizer and other supporting equipment prices increasing throughout 2022, rendering massive losses for farmers.
Italy
Italy Exports Approximately 60% Of Its Tomatoes to the US Every Year (Jan 27)
The fruit and vegetable market is worth 5B dollars, and Italy is showing extremely positive progress in exports. Italy produces approximately 6M tons of tomatoes every year, and 60% are exported to the United States, Australia, and Japan. Between 2019 to 2021, the USA experienced a growth of 69% in the value of imports from Italy.
Mexico
Price of Mexican Roma Tomatoes in the United States Market During W4 (Jan 24)
In W4, the United States market continues to show uncertainty in tomato demand. Sinaloa will start sending more volume of Roma tomatoes, and prices will drop fast. The weather continues to cause a gap in the expected harvest volume, but prices are decreasing due to the uncertain conditions in the market. Prices for Mexican JB/XL tomatoes in the US market are quoted from USD 15/25lbs to USD 17/25lbs and USD 13/25lbs for Large and Medium USD 14/25lbs.
Morocco
Morocco Is the Third Largest Supplier of Tomatoes to the EU (Jan 23)
Morocco is catching up with Spain in terms of the volume of tomatoes sold in the European Union. The biggest supplier of tomatoes for EU members in the first ten months of 2022 is Morocco. In general, purchases of tomatoes by EU members decreased by 5.18% compared to the same period five years ago. Morocco is the third largest supplier after Spain and the Netherlands.
Morocco May Soon Overtake Spain as Europe’s Biggest Tomato Supplier (Jan 23)
Moroccan tomato exports to EU countries rose by 38% in the first ten months of 2022 compared to the same period in 2018. Morocco was the second largest tomato exporter to Europe in 2022, with 405M kg sold to other EU countries. Morocco plans to double tomato exports by 2022. Morocco's agriculture has faced significant challenges due mainly to climate-induced water scarcity. Increasing supplies to Europe will likely trigger uproar among European farmers, especially in Spain and France. In 2022, French farmers made headlines for staging a series of protests against Morocco's vegetable imports.
Morocco Approaches the Volume of Tomatoes That Spain Sold in the European Union (Jan 26)
Moroccan tomato sales to EU Member States increased by 38.05% between 2018 and 2022, while Spanish tomato exports decreased by 23.97%. Spain sold 424.48M kg of tomatoes in the first months of 2022, a significantly lower quantity than the 558.29M kg it sold in 2018. Morocco ranked third with 404.99M kg worth USD 703.105M (EUR 637.94M)and an average price of USD 1.74/kg (EUR 1.58/kg).
Spain
In Almería, Spain, Pepper and Tomato Prices Rise Due to the Drop in Production (Jan 26)
The last week of January 2023, marked by the cold wave, has caused a significant drop in production in Spain. Prices have risen at a general level in all products, although they have been more important in peppers and tomatoes. The tomato rises again in its price for another week.
Spain Is Experiencing a Shortage of Tomatoes Due to Adverse Weather Conditions (Jan 27)
Spanish tomato supply is at its lowest during the coldest weeks of the year which are typically between W2 and W14. Starting in spring, supply quantities experience a recovery due to the increase in temperature and the hours of sunshine. This year however, the low supply weeks are much more pronounced due to the adverse weather conditions suffered, especially severe drought in the largest producing areas. Some areas could even lose 60% of production. The lower-than-usual supply is affecting price levels that are at all-time highs, especially for cherry tomato varieties.
South Africa
South African Consumer Has to Expect Higher-Priced Tomatoes in Near Future (Jan 26)
Although tomato volumes have dropped in South Africa, sales remain stable as prices hit an upward trend for W4. Experts warn that consumers are also in for higher-priced tomatoes soon. Dr. Johnny van der Merwe, an agricultural economist at the North-West University, said tomato prices bounced back this week from USD 0.46/kg (ZAR 7.87/kg) to USD 0.53/kg (ZAR 9.01/kg).
Ukraine
Supply Disruptions Led to Higher Prices for Imported Tomatoes in Ukraine (Jan 27)
The last few weeks have been marked by unfavorable weather conditions, which led to a significant decrease in the supply of greenhouse vegetables to foreign markets. In Ukraine, imported tomatoes go on sale at USD 1.78-2/kg (UAH 65-73/kg), which is 10% more expensive than in W3. Imported tomatoes on the Ukrainian market are 1.5 times more expensive than at the end of January 2022. The demand for these products remains consistently high, which is the main driver of price growth.
