From sowing to sales in store, the Tomato Forum that took place in Düsseldorf on 1st and 2nd June examined the entire chain. The international fair organised by Fruchthandel and AMI analysed the most current issues. What are the right products? What do consumers want? How can demand improve? How to continue being on the market in the future?
Above: entrepreneur Massimo Pavan during his report at the European Tomato Forum
These were some of the topics discussed by leading European tomato producers such as Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Germany, Belgium and Eastern European countries.
Massimo Pavan talked as vice-president of Consorzio Igp Pomodoro di Pachino. The tomato variety was analysed as case history and used to discuss Sicilian tomatoes in general.
"The trend in northern and eastern European countries is to produce tomatoes that are tastier than the ones grown so far, which though cannot be compared to ours."
But what resources are needed to obtain this result? Pavan described conducts that don't seem environmentally sustainable.
"Foreign consumers prefer purchasing local produce as they believe it helps reducing CO2 emissions. However, they are not aware that growing tomatoes in countries like the Netherlands or Germany requires greenhouses that guarantee certain temperature and sunlight conditions. This of course requires a lot of energy."
"The Dutch say that most of the energy comes from renewable sources anyway, but why consume energy when it can be avoided? We need to make people aware of the fact that Mediterranean countries such as southern Italy, Greece and Spain use the so-called 'cold greenhouses', which are only heated up by the sun."
"More energy is required to obtain tastier produce, so energy consumption will with no doubt increase in Germany and Eastern Europe."
Another important issue discussed during the forum was packaging, as more sustainable methods will be employed in the future for smaller and more eco-friendly solutions."
"The Dutch say that most of the energy comes from renewable sources anyway, but why consume energy when it can be avoided? We need to make people aware of the fact that Mediterranean countries such as southern Italy, Greece and Spain use the so-called 'cold greenhouses', which are only heated up by the sun."
"More energy is required to obtain tastier produce, so energy consumption will with no doubt increase in Germany and Eastern Europe."
Another important issue discussed during the forum was packaging, as more sustainable methods will be employed in the future for smaller and more eco-friendly solutions."