Tomato prices at the moment are not very high, though they vary a lot. Eurofrut explains that "round tomatoes are sold at 80 cents-€1.30/kg. The difference is due to the damage caused by the weather and temperatures - first-quality tomatoes average 50 cents more per kilo than second-choice ones."
Produce is also exported to France and Germany, but "we have to deal with competition, especially the Dutch one - their tomatoes cost more, but they also have a longer shelf-life. Many foreign chains prefer them."
Then there's ribbed tomatoes, which are more expensive than bunch ones and are sold at €1.50-2.50/kg depending on the size.
Another variety is beef tomatoes. "The French ones reach €3.5 kg. The price of Italian ones is also high, although lower - €1.50-2/kg on domestic markets."
Finally there's cherry tomatoes, which have more constant prices. The Pachino variety is sold at €2/kg these days, whereas the other varieties reach €1.50/kg."
In the next few weeks, higher temperatures will lead to a more abundant supply and thus reasonable prices. Then they are expected to drop in April, so they will be perfect for those people looking for tomatoes that are cheaper than the Dutch ones.
Contacts:Eurofrut S.p.A.
Sede: Centro Agro Alimentare CAAB
Via P. Canali - 40127 Bologna - Italia
Tel.: +39 051 2861326
Fax: +39 051 2861405
Email: sede@eurofrut.it
Web: www.eurofrut.it