The tomato market usually dips in November in various countries. Prices have been higher than average for some time. The dip happened this year too. However, November also deviated from 'normal'. In many countries, except for Spain, with higher prices than in recent years. That is according to the latest tomato dashboard update and figures from Belgium. The European Commission (EC) maintains the dashboard.
The tomato price across the board in Europe averaged €1.35/kg. That is less than in October. It is also less than last November when the average was €1.43. But, it is still higher than the five-year average. Tomato prices have been topping this since March.
There are well-known reasons for this: the Tomato brown rugose fruit virus (ToBRFV) and COVID-19 to some degree. And now, the energy crisis and ever-increasing prices for almost everything.
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New influencing factor: energy prices
Consider the usual market progression. It has been anything but usual, as we concluded last month. It shows another price increase is possible in December. It should be noted that this was not the case last year. Though high energy prices were not an issue for growers then as they are now. The global pandemic was a factor in both years. That could affect demand.
Growers rely on lighting and heating in winter. For some, this winter is an entirely different story. Greenhouses lie empty. Or growers do cultivate, but without putting much energy into it. In other words, the lights stay off, and the heating is turned down.
That logically results in lower production. Although, readers should remember that costs are rising everywhere, including for imported products. Filling a truck, packaging products - everything is becoming more expensive.
The Netherlands: tiny dip
It seems the Dutch and Belgian figures, especially, reflect the high energy costs. That is due to there being fewer products on the market. The tomato dashboard shows the average Dutch tomato per kg price to be €1.20. That is just slightly less than in October. But again, it is a record dashboard price compared to the past five years.
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Belgium: less supply
Figures from Belgium are not included in the tomato dashboard. But you can see that country's Horticultural Cooperatives Federation's (VBT) figures. That is via the Flemish Agriculture and Fisheries Department.
VBT figures via www.vlaanderen.be/landbouwcijfers
Those show higher average prices for particularly TOVs since mid-November. That is compared to last year and the last five years. For loose tomatoes, the picture is slightly different. They show a similar summer price peak as in vine tomatoes. Then 'winter prices' were paid. But after that, prices remained reasonably in line with last year and the past five years.
Supplied volumes have been lower than 2020 for weeks. That is for both loose and vine tomatoes. In week 43, there were more TOVs than in 2020. Since then, it has been lower each week. That is mostly the case in the weeks before week 43 too.
Spain: deep dip, more Moroccan products
Spain had the largest 'November price dip'. At an average of €0.99, the price is just above the five-year minimum and that of November last year. The latter is notable because Spanish acreage declines annually. According to the Spaniards, significant Moroccan competition is a reason for that. Morocco is increasingly sending tomatoes to Europe.
Recently, other European figures seem to contradict this. We have, however, learned that these figures are incorrect. Normally the figures are based on three sources. But, recently, only one source remained, making those figures unreliable. Instead of less supply from Morocco, that country sent 18% more to Europe in October 2021 than in 2020.
Italy: small price hike, big concerns
Italy is the only country on the EC dashboard that did not experience the usual November dip. There the average price rose slightly. Equally strange, this increase is actually less than last year and the last five years.
Italy had a tough summer. It was sweltering, and the ToBRFV plagued growers. As in other countries, some of these are choosing to cultivate different crops.
France; more 'normal' November
In France, November prices were closer to those in 2020 and the five-year average. France producers relatively few tomatoes, importing a lot.
Click here to enlarge all the European tomato dashboard graphs.