According to Agreste, tomato production in 2017 will be 4% below that recorded in 2016. Acreage is stable compared to last year, reaching 2,350 hectares. Over 80% of tomato crops are in greenhouses or covered, open air acreage sees a slight decrease.
Prices were 37% above those recorded last year at the start of the season in February, then in March decreased to the same levels as the year before. The season was early in 2016 and marketable volume in April 2017 hadn’t yet caught up with last year, prices were 34% above those of April 2016.
Demand wasn’t very active at the start of the season but strengthened in April with the offer unable to fulfil the demand. From January to March imports, mainly from Morocco, decreased by 7% over the year and exports by 12%. The trade deficit over this period therefore decreased by 1%.