Wholesale prices of bunch tomatoes have dropped in the past few weeks, at least in Bologna. "Dutch produce dropped to €1.20 to €1/kg," explains Mario Tartari from Eurofrut. This was probably due to the bigger volumes available. The same is happening to Italian bunch tomatoes as the season is ending. "However, they are still 10/20 cents more expensive than the Dutch ones."
Demand for bunch tomatoes is still relatively lively, though it is slower for salad varieties such as beefsteak and San Marzano. "The season is ending for these tomatoes as well, and they are being sold at 70/90 cents per kg."
"The Sicilian production of cherry and plum tomatoes has instead just started, so volumes are limited. This means prices are rather high - €2.50/kg and €3.00-3.20/kg respectively for high-quality produce."
It is difficult to make a forecast for the next few weeks, but the situation is not expected to vary much, as bigger volumes from southern Italy should arrive from mid-October onward.