For New Zealand's approximately 120 commercial tomato growers, the current season has brought an abundance in both volume and quality. However, the inability to export to Australia for a third consecutive year due to a Pepino mosaic virus (PepMV) outbreak in 2021 has contributed to an oversupply in the domestic market, pushing prices down.
Tomatoes New Zealand chairman Barry O'Neil highlighted a significant drop in prices as the season progressed, attributing it to increased production volumes. This situation has led to financial losses for growers towards the season's end, with many struggling to cover production costs. The export market, primarily to Australia, has drastically declined from 10% to merely 1 or 2% of the crop. Retail prices as low as $2.99 per kilogram have resulted in unsustainable returns for growers, raising concerns about the industry's future viability. O'Neil expressed hope that New Zealand consumers would prefer locally-grown tomatoes, supporting the domestic industry amidst declining export values, which fell to $3.88 million in 2022-2023 from a pre-Covid-19 peak of $12.2 million.
Source: nzherald.co.nz