Could we run out of tomatoes this summer?

Cereals, olives, citrus fruits, stone fruits, watermelon or melon are so far some of the foods most affected by a drought that has not been seen in decades.

Oliver Thansan
Oliver Thansan
24 May 2023 Wednesday 22:23
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Could we run out of tomatoes this summer?

Cereals, olives, citrus fruits, stone fruits, watermelon or melon are so far some of the foods most affected by a drought that has not been seen in decades. And one of the most important garden products in Spanish gastronomy could be added to this list: the tomato. Despite the fact that farmers point out that we still have to wait a few days to find out what effect the scarce rains will have on the summer season for this fruit, the predictions are not good.

"Tomatoes are produced in many areas of Spain, there is no fixed x-ray," explains Andrés Góngora, head of the Fruit and Vegetable sector of the Coordinator of Organizations of Farmers and Ranchers (COAG). But in the case of some early varieties such as those grown in Los Palacios, in Seville, the damage caused by the scarcity of water can already be seen. "The supply of the Guadalquivir river is 80% lower. This means that 70% fewer tomatoes are being harvested than usual in these areas," adds the farmer, who affirms that Andalusian crops are among the most affected.

In the case of others that are harvested in the rest of the country, the next few weeks will be decisive. Farmers in the areas around the Ebro, the COAG spokesperson continues, could also see their production greatly reduced. "Summer varieties need plenty of water. We will have to see if it rains in the coming days, but if the situation continues like this, around 50% of the product could be affected," laments Toni Rovira, representative of the Unió de Pages of Catalonia. In this autonomous community, the tomato from Montserrat, pear, "de penjar" or Benach are among the most typical in the summer months. "The rainfall will have to be very abundant for the plants to thrive."

Along with Andalusia, Extremadura is one of the areas where this fruit is grown the most, and produces a large part of the tomato for industry in Spain. Its reservoirs are not as dry as those in Andalusia and, therefore, they do not face a season as complex as that of their neighbours, but they are not there to launch rockets either. "We still don't know for sure what the losses will be, but a lot of the plant has been damaged or burned and it is difficult for us to replace it," says the farmer and spokesman for Apag Extremadura Asaja, Mariano Pérez, who owns a farm jointly owned by the wife of he. "It is very likely that the tomato plants bear less fruit, because we have been planting on dust, but there is still time to find out, since the campaign has also been delayed."

Added to the drought problem are others such as the high production costs due to the war in Ukraine. "Everything has come together: the price of fuel for machinery, fertilizers, phytosanitary products...", says Rovira. This same month, the Government has approved aid for more than 636 million euros to support farmers and ranchers. 276.7 million will go to agriculture, but it remains to determine the crops, areas and amounts to which this support will correspond, a decision that will be made after verifying where they have been most affected by the drought. Will tomato growers get anything? From COAG, who consider these measures insufficient, they believe not. "The question is that fresh tomatoes are not included in the CAP aid, the vegetable sector was left out. And the economic support is usually invested in those who exploit the plantations that are valued in these plans," laments Góngora.

When asked if all these factors will affect the price of summer tomatoes, Góngora replies that it remains to be seen. "In central Europe, tomato production, which is not scarce, is normally concentrated in winter. But since the cultivation is in greenhouses and this year heating costs have risen, they will bet more on the summer season." This will affect the price of the national tomato, but they do not know how. "We are totally blind. There is a lot of price instability and growers rarely know if they will be able to cover costs." In the case of industrial tomatoes, their value is set before the start of the campaign. So if production is low, farmers cannot afford the costs by making it more expensive.

The sector, therefore, is in a critical situation. "We have never experienced such complex circumstances. I have not yet thrown in the towel, but many of my colleagues are leaving the profession, they see that after years of crisis things are not improving," explains Rovira, who mentions another problem: the generational change . "The trade is at risk. Young people do not want to work in a sector with these conditions." The thought of leaving the field haunts people with little orchards above all, because the large companies dedicated to extensive farming seek other solutions, such as changing provinces.

"They have us tied hand and foot," adds Mariano Pérez, who was born into a family of farmers and has worked as such since he was old enough to work. "I inherited five hectares from my father, and the rest of the land I have is for rent. My family lives entirely from the farm, we have no other income. As the sector is always in crisis, you keep quiet and endure, but we are tired and sad," he concludes.