Spanish tomato growers were badly overtaken by the Dutch

Published Apr 5, 2024

Tridge summary

Tomato growers in Almería are grappling with reduced harvests due to extreme heat, leading to an increase in producer prices. However, the Spanish market is currently experiencing a surge of tomatoes from the Netherlands, which are grown under artificial lighting, putting downward pressure on Spanish tomato prices. This situation arose after a decrease in Moroccan tomato exports initially caused a price increase. Despite a cooling period failing to boost the harvest, there is optimism for price improvements as the season progresses until May. Andalusian tomato exports have decreased in volume but increased in value, with a notable recent uptick in producer prices for cherry tomatoes, attributed to an anticipated decline in Moroccan supply.

Disclaimer: The above summary was generated by Tridge's proprietary AI model for informational purposes.

Original content

Due to the extreme heat, tomato growers in Almería are able to harvest very little, while tomatoes produced in greenhouses in the Netherlands are literally flooding the Spanish market. The producer price of Almería tomatoes has risen, but the market has not yet really picked up. The heat is too much. Last weekend we measured almost 30 degrees Celsius and we can see that the plants are producing very little due to the high stress. said producer Julián Rodríguez from Almería. According to data from the Andalusian Regional Government, thanks to the decrease in Moroccan exports, the year 2024 started with an average price of around 1.24 euros/kg, but in the first months of the season the price of Almeria products fell sharply at the place of origin, and in the 4th week averaged 0.43 reached EUR/kg. According to data shared by the European Commission, Moroccan tomato exports fell by 39.1% in October, 22.9% in November, and even 9.5% in December compared to the same period of the ...

Source: AgroForum