Almeria's drop in tomato production volumes (due to lower temperatures) has been critical for the province's increase in prices, as clarified in the latest report on protected horticultural products elaborated by Andalusia's Prices Observatory. In this document, with data corresponding to week 48, tomato prices are announced to be on the mend, following the trend started by other fruits and vegetables, such as courgettes, aubergines and cucumbers.
Up until late November, tomatoes had been registering the lowest average prices, according to information from Asaja, Coag and UPA. Production volumes started falling on week 47, but it was not until the following week when prices started to grow.
Tomato prices consequently started in December at higher levels than in the same period last year, as stated by the Prices Observatory. Average prices during the last week of November stood at 0.60 Euro/kilo, compared to the 0.42 of 2012.
Pear, smooth and ribbed tomatoes saw the biggest drops in production volumes "as a result of their greater sensitivity to the cold winter temperatures," explained the regional Administration in the report. The largest supply volumes corresponded to long life and vine tomatoes.
Source: Ideal.es