In 2015, nearly 41.4 million tons of tomatoes were produced for processing globally; this year this is set to fall nearly 8% to just under 38.1 million tons. Production in both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres is forecast to fall by about the same rate, to 35.58 and 2.51 million tons respectively.
Estimates from the World Processing Tomato Council (WPTC) also show that for the EU alone, the decline is likely to be around 10.8%, to 9.97 million tons this year.
Production of tomatoes for processing in California is expected to fall 9% on last year to just under 11.8 million tons, also under California’s average for 2013-15 of 12.25 million tons.
China and Italy, also major producers, are in line for respective falls of 11% and 7% (to million tons), with each expected to produce 5 million tons this year, the latest WPTC forecasts show.
Spain is headed for a drop of 14% on last year but its expected production of 2.6 million tons is above its 2013-15 average of 2.46 million tons, and similarly, Turkey is poised to expected to register a 15% drop to 2.3 million tons, which is nevertheless above its 2013-15 average of 2.2 million tons.
Source: eurofresh-distribution.com/WPTC