World industrial tomato production close to reaching 2009 record

World industrial tomato production is estimated at 44.194 million tons, the second highest ever. The value is close to the record reached in 2009 (44.512 million tons), revealed data from the World Tomato Processing Council, released at the balance conference organized by Magos IS. In Europe, only Italy (5,400 million tonnes) and Greece (390,000 tonnes) recorded declines. Portugal has an estimated production of 1.5 million tons, 3% above the previous year. After three consecutive years, between 2020 and 2022, of declines in global tomato production, due to hot summers and dry years in the main producing regions, namely California and Spain, this year the factories reinforced their concentrate stocks. “In Andalusia there are 3 tomato factories with the capacity to transform 10,000 hectares of tomatoes, but in recent years this region has only produced 2,000 to 3,000 hectares, because there is no water for irrigation. The area of irrigated agriculture increased by 100% in Andalusia, ...