Tomato acreage in Almeria has increased by 14% compared to the last season, while production has grown by 4%, according to figures from the Ministry of Agriculture.
The harvest period was delayed for 10-12 days due to incidents in the seed stage. This caused a delay in the production curve of 15-20 days. The first month a price increase was possible due to a production shortage in Morocco (because of weather conditions). In late October, Morocco production bounced back, leading to strong competition with Almeria. In November, the tomatoes sold under the minimum price allowed by the EU (€ 46.1 / 100kg), and was eagerly taken by the Netherlands at the end of their season. The price dropped to 0.43 € / kg that month.
In February, the large harvest in Morocco and the last harvest in Murcia caused a low tomato price in Almeria. March in Southern Spain was cold and rainy. This caused a decrease in supply and an increase in price (€ 0.73 / kg). The first early harvest was delayed until mid-April.
During the first harvest months there was little competition with other countries. The early end of the season in Europe and the low production in Morocco intensified the demand for national cherry tomato. In November this product was cheaper because the Moroccan market picked up again. The increase in demand in December (the holidays) inhibited pricing and contributed to a slightly better market.
The cold winter months caused a low supply, triggering the price of the cherry tomato to rise above 1.40 € / kg. Spring normalized supply gradually. In April, the price dropped to € 1 / kg.
Source: almeria360.com
