Increase in French tomato production

This year 566,000 tonnes of tomatoes for the fresh market were produced in France. This is 1% more than last year, but 2% less than the five year average. The area decreased by 1% to 2,400 HA, as announced by Agreste. The fact that the production increased but the area decreased is the result of a decrease in production in the south-east of France (-7%/2012 and -25% five year average), but an increase in the west (Bretagne: +10%/2012 and +9%/five year average). In the middle west of France, which is the area Pays de Loire, production decreased this year by 4%, but compared to the average of the last five years increased by 23%. This is +6%/2012 and +10%/five year average for Aquitaine.

Also for the area a change can be noticed from the east to the (middle) west of France with -1%/2012 and -17%/average last five years in the south-east, +4%/2012 in Bretagne (+7%/five year average) and 1%/2012 (+33% average last five years) in Pays de Loire. In Aquitaine the open ground production decreased by a quarter and the glasshouse cultivation by -8%, but the losses are partly compensated by an increase of 7% by heat installations.

Difficult selling season

Nevertheless the 2013 season is regarded as a difficult year because of the cold and wet spring. Supplies remained low till July as a result, but after that 20% more than in the same month of 2012. In the middle of August, however, sales decreased again because of the competition with the cultivation of tomatoes by consumers themselves and also the mild weather in September was favourable for this tomato cultivation. Prices, which were lower than in 2012 but were equal to the average of the last five years, were at the lowest level in this period and increased again in October. In November most of the tomatoes on the shelves came from Spain and Morocco.

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