Heatwave Drives Tomato Shortfall and Price Surge in Western Europe

A sharp drop in tomato production due to recent heatwaves in Western Europe has led to unprecedented wholesale prices for high-quality tomatoes, with supply shortages expected to persist through August.

Extreme temperatures at the end of June and early July in Belgium, the Netherlands, and France have caused significant flower drop in greenhouse tomato crops, resulting in a major production shortfall. As of mid-August, more than half of the tomatoes at Belgian auctions such as BelOrta are classified as Grade II due to compromised quality, further reducing the volume of premium fruit available for export and domestic markets.

The ongoing drought is also affecting open-field tomato cultivation across Western Europe, with water restrictions limiting irrigation in key regions. Weather forecasts indicate that temperatures just below 40°C and continued absence of rain will persist for at least another week, exacerbating the supply situation for both greenhouse and open-field tomatoes.

Market demand for high-quality tomatoes remains strong despite August being a traditionally quiet month for trade in Germany and France due to holiday periods in major federal states such as Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria. This limited demand is not sufficient to offset the drastic drop in supply, resulting in what traders are calling unprecedented prices for top-grade tomatoes. However, specific EUR/kg prices for this period are not published in the sources.

Spain, the EU's largest tomato producer, continues to see its output decline, with average production falling 25.7% from 2.20 million tonnes (2015–2017) to 1.64 million tonnes (2022–2024). The Netherlands and France have also reported declines of 13.6% and 16.7% respectively over the same period, while Belgium (+13.5%) and Poland (+18.1%) have increased production. The EU's total tomato harvest reached 6.53 million tonnes in 2024, with greenhouse production accounting for 79.5% of output.

Morocco has consolidated its position as the world's third-largest exporter of fresh tomatoes, surpassing Spain and trailing only Mexico and the Netherlands. Moroccan exporters are facing rising competition from Algeria, Tunisia, and Egypt, as these countries increase their tomato export volumes to the EU, including markets such as Poland.

Material prepared by the editorial team of fresh-market.info, editor Artur Spiker · Illustrative image generated by AI