Organic tomato cultivation has expanded by 66.3 percent in Andalusia in 2014 compared to the previous year, according to data from the Prices and Markets Observatory of the Council of Agriculture, Fisheries and Rural Development of the Government of Andalusia, consulted by Hortoinfo.
The total number of hectares devoted to organic tomato production in Andalusia in 2014 was of 350.55, 66.3 percent more than the previous year. The acreage intended for organic tomatoes is still very low compared to conventional/integrated crops, which stood at 12,444.45 hectares in 2014.
Most organic tomatoes are grown in AlmerÃa, with 303.57 hectares, 86.6 percent of the total. Granada has 28 hectares (8%) and Malaga 18.22 hectares (5.2%).
Tomatoes are the most important protected vegetable crop in Andalusia, accounting for 54.4 percent of the total acreage devoted to organic production in greenhouses.
Prices
The average price at origin during the 2013/2014 campaign for all types of organic tomatoes stood at 1.067 Euro per kilo, 40.4 percent more than conventional tomatoes, which reached 0.76 Euro per kilo.
By types, long life organic tomatoes reached an average price of 0.72 Euro per kilo, compared with 0.45 for the conventional.
Organic pear tomatoes were marketed at an average price of 0.73 Euro per kilo, compared with 0.47 of the conventional.
The average price of organic tomatoes on the vine was of 0.97 Euro per kilo, while the conventional did not exceed 0.56 Euro per kilo.
Organic ribbed tomatoes were sold for 1.08 Euro per kilo, while the average price of the conventional was of 0.68 Euro per kilo.
As for cherry tomatoes, the organic round were sold loose for 1.11 Euro per kilo, the round on the vine for 1.41 Euro and the pear (loose) for 1.45 Euro per kilo. In conventional farming, the round had an average price (loose) of 1.03 Euro per kilo, the round on the vine stood at 0.99 and the pear (loose) cost 1.14 Euro per kilo.
Volumes
The most produced type of organic tomatoes has been that on the vine, with 45 percent of the total. Next in importance are the cherry type, with 36 percent, the pear and long life, with 8 percent and lastly the ribbed, with 3 percent of the total.
The main markets for the organic tomatoes produced in Andalusia have been the European markets, most notably Germany, followed by the United Kingdom and Switzerland.
Source: hortoinfo.es