Extremadura's 2025 tomato season is shaping up to be one of the most negative in recent years, with a sharp drop in yields and profitability. According to La Unión Extremadura, the combination of rain in spring, extreme heat in summer, and prices below production costs will cause estimated losses of 72.52 million euros.
La Unión is asking the Regional Ministry of Agriculture for an official damage assessment and the approval of a Decree Law on compensation, in application of Regulation (EU) 2024/3242.
The rains delayed planting and transplanting. In addition, heat waves during flowering and ripening affected fruit setting and development. Early plantations, usually the most productive, were the most affected.
This season's average yield is estimated between 65 and 70 tons per hectare for a total regional production of 1,413,000 tons, well below the 1,880,000 tons contracted. This is more than 467,000 fewer tons than last season, i.e., almost 25% less.
With 20,185 hectares cultivated, the expected income is around 155.43 million euros. Meanwhile, production costs stood at 227.95 million. The average production cost is €161.32/ton, but the average price paid is below it, which violates the Food Chain Law, La Unión stated.
La Unió criticized a study by Cooperativas Agroalimentarias de Extremadura that set the production cost at €114.70/ton, based on an exceptional yield of 2024 (98.41 t/ha) without taking into account the average of the last five seasons. They said that this figure has been detrimental to farmers in the middle of negotiations with the processing industry.
The 2025 crisis highlights the economic risk faced by producers when extreme weather events and unfair prices coincide. La Unió warned that the viability of many farms is at stake and called for urgent measures to ensure the sector's sustainability and the protection of farmers in the agri-food chain.
Source: agronewscastillayleon.com
