With a share of 49% of the total volume of organic tomatoes marketed in Andalusia, cherry tomatoes were the most important type of tomato in organic production last season, according to the Prices and Markets Observatory of the Government of Andalusia in its summary of the 2020/21 organic cherry tomato season.
However, despite the percentage staying the same as in the previous season, the 2020/21 data point to a reduction in the marketed production of organic cherry tomatoes compared to the previous one, which stands at around 10%, due to the "significant reduction in the cultivated area of loose round cherry," says the document. "According to experts consulted, the cause lies in the progressive decline in the profitability of cherry tomatoes, especially the loose round type, caused by the increase in production costs, especially labor.
As for prices at origin, the 2020/21 season was a "particularly unstable season, with very sharp price fluctuations." The range in which prices moved widened compared to previous seasons, with a difference between the maximum and minimum weekly price of 1.34 €/kg compared to 0.96 €/kg in the 2019/20 season. The report says that, despite the considerable reduction in the volume offered, the average price at origin of organic cherry tomatoes in the 2020/21 season was 1.44 € / kg; the same as in the previous season.
The organic plum cherry tomato continues to grow
By subtypes, the plum cherry tomato led this segment with 51.4% of the volume produced in the 2020/21 season. This was the only type of cherry tomato that recorded growth in the supply at origin, albeit moderate. Organic on the vine cherry tomatoes remained stable with a 23.6% share, and the volume of loose round cherry fell by more than 30%, according to information provided by collaborating companies of the Prices and Markets Observatory, and accounted for 25.0% of the total production.
"The success of the plum cherry lies in the marketing of tastier varieties that are very well accepted in the market," says the Observatory. However, its average price is down 11 cents per kilo this season, to 1.47 €/kg.
It is worth noting that throughout the campaign, the prices of organic cherry tomatoes were, on average, 18% higher than those of non-organic cherry tomatoes.
Concern about the increase in production costs
The document highlights "the concerns expressed by the sector about the increase in production costs, especially labor, which is essential in a crop as intensive as cherry tomatoes. Therefore, it argues, there could be "a decrease in the Andalusian acreage devoted to organic cherry tomatoes in favor of other crops and a further relocation of the organic cherry production to countries with lower labor costs, such as Senegal and, to a lesser extent, Morocco.
