French organic tomatoes from Vendée shipped exclusively to UK market

All organic tomatoes and other vegetables from the 40 hectares of Riverford Vendée in France are exported exclusively to the UK for bio box distribution.

Riverford Vendée, located in the Vendée region of France, dedicates its entire vegetable production—including tomatoes—from 40 hectares of open field and 1 hectare of cold shelters to export. The sole recipient is Riverford, a UK-based organic box delivery company. Shipments are regular and focus heavily on the April-May window when UK domestic production is limited.

This exclusive arrangement means that French organic tomatoes from Vendée do not enter the broader European wholesale market, but are directly supplied to UK consumers via the box scheme. The spring harvest accounts for approximately 40% of the farm's annual turnover, indicating a concentration of supply during this period.

In Spain, growers in Almería are reducing tomato acreage in response to increasing disease and virus pressure. Many Spanish producers are shifting to alternative crops such as watermelon and melon, which offer lower production costs and less risk, especially after previous seasons with high market prices for these fruits. This shift results in lower Spanish tomato availability for export during the summer period.

The reduced Spanish supply coincides with the strong demand from northern European markets, including Poland, which may face higher import prices or increased competition for available volumes. No current wholesale or export price for tomatoes in EUR was reported in the sources.

Morocco and Senegal are increasing exports of other horticultural products, intensifying competition on the European market and indirectly affecting tomato trade dynamics by shifting production and export focus in Mediterranean countries.

Material prepared by the editorial team of fresh-market.info, editor Artur Spiker