Tridge summary
The article highlights the significant increase in the cost of tomatoes in New Zealand, with prices rising nearly $4 between July and August of the same year. Simon Watson, the managing director of NZ Hothouse, attributes this surge in price to several factors, including a scarcity and high cost of labor, increased costs of fertilizer, and rising energy prices. These factors together account for approximately 60% of the shelf price of tomatoes. The labor shortage is part of a broader economic issue, exacerbated by the government's decision to keep borders closed, leading to a reduction in the number of tomato plants. As a result, growers are planting fewer tomatoes to manage their costs, which have risen faster than the value of the tomatoes, leading to a 15% crop reduction. This situation is part of a larger trend where the price of many food items is escalating, with tomatoes seeing the most significant increase since 2009.
Disclaimer:The above summary was generated by Tridge's proprietary AI model for informational purposes.
Original content
The price of tomatoes is going through the glasshouse roof, thanks to the rising cost of three key elements, says one of the country's biggest tomato growers. Simon Watson, managing director of NZ Hothouse, said the number one reason for more expensive tomatoes was more expensive and very scarce labor. The cost of fertilizer and of energy have also jumped, with fertilizer up 81% in the past year. The three items accounted for 60% of the price of tomatoes on the shelf, Watson said. The price of tomatoes rose nearly $4 between July and August alone, according to Stats NZ. The price of many food items is rising quickly, but tomatoes are leading the way. They are up 162% since 2009 when food inflation was the same as it is now, beating cabbages (up 138.1%) and capsicums (up 118%). The price was rising because there was a shortage of tomatoes for a number of reasons. Labour was "incredibly short" across the whole economy, not just horticulture, because the Government had kept the ...
Source: Hortidaily
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