In W36 in the tomato landscape, India’s tomato market remained unstable due to extreme weather conditions such as drought and flooding. This has led to unprecedented price volatility, with tomato prices surging over 300% in certain regions. The urgency to address this crisis is evident as the retail prices soared to over USD 2.41 per kilogram (INR 200/kg) in a short span in the last few weeks. India, ranking second globally in tomato production, cultivates over 20 million metric tons (mmt) of tomatoes on 840 thousand hectares (ha), with an average yield of around 24.5 metric tons per ha. For several decades, the Indian government has introduced several initiatives to promote high-yielding tomato varieties, modern agricultural practices, irrigation infrastructure investments, and post-harvest management improvements. However, the current tomato crisis underscores the urgency of innovative solutions. The productivity of tomato crops may increase, prices can stabilize, and problems for farmers and consumers can be reduced by investing in research and development.
The Tomato Brown Rugose Fruit Virus (ToBRFV) has been a significant concern for tomato growers in recent years. However, the Enza Zaden company has successfully developed a complete range of ToBRFV-resistant tomato varieties. Currently, tomato growers are cultivating these HREZ-resistant varieties on more than 500 ha in the Benelux regions and over 1 thousand ha worldwide. In the next season, Enza Zaden will provide a selection of at least 25 varieties with high resistance to ToBRFV.
On the other hand, Argentina’s most significant tomato-producing regions, such as Corrientes, Santa Luca, and Lavalle, have confirmed the first detection of ToBRFV in tomato plants from three greenhouses. The ToBRFV presence was established by laboratory tests when samples of leaves from more than 50% of the plants displayed symptoms. Infected tomato plants were removed, and a quarantine zone was established to prevent the spread of the virus.
In W35, vine tomato prices plummeted on the French market. The tomato prices went from USD 1.39/kg to USD 1.07/kg between Monday and Friday of the said week. Although tomato production returned to normal, consumption has decreased due to the unfavorable weather in various European nations, which included rain and cold temperatures.
Lastly, while the largest tomato crop for this season is being harvested in California, tomato growers are already contending with a backlog of fruit deliveries. The board chairman has cautioned that canneries may struggle to satisfy demand, which could have implications for produce that cannot be processed immediately. Spoilage is a concern for growers, if some tomatoes are left in the field for an extended amount of time. Some gardeners may be encouraged to harvest early when the tomatoes turn slightly green to mitigate this concern. Tomato producers typically contract to deliver a certain tonnage for a certain number of weeks to guarantee a consistent supply of tomatoes to canneries.