Tomatoes on the Polish market - downward trend in prices is not obvious
A dynamic drop in wholesale prices of Polish greenhouse tomatoes is typical for the period from the beginning of March to the end of May. It results from a rapid increase in the supply of domestic greenhouse tomatoes on the market. In addition, the discount is supported in this period by low exports, because the season for sending tomatoes abroad does not start until later in the season.
However, this season's scenario is likely to look different. In fact, it already looks different. The clear downward trend in domestic (red) tomato prices was halted as early as the first week of March and began to fluctuate upwards and downwards, with no clear trend.
An indicator of the change in the situation was news from abroad, particularly from Morocco, which officially announces that it will be limiting its tomato exports. This is supposed to be a measure to curb ever-increasing inflation. Keeping tomatoes on the domestic market, and in such significant quantities, should stifle the galloping tomato prices on the domestic market (and this is one of the staple vegetables as Ramadan approaches). Tomato prices in other countries, including Spain, reacted to the news with an increase.
In addition, the weak zloty does not favour imports, so consequently there are fewer and more expensive imported tomatoes on our market. Spanish tomatoes in the wholesale trade on a large scale are priced between 8.00 and 10.00 PLN per kilo, a third more expensive than a year ago. In the small wholesale trade, prices for these tomatoes are as high as 13.00 PLN/kg.
Prices of Polish red round tomatoes, still only available in small wholesale quantities, are currently mostly at around 13.33-16.00 PLN/kg, depending on the region. The average is around 15.00 PLN per kilo, and at the beginning of March it was already 12.00-13.00 PLN per kilo. The fall in prices is also not supported by the situation in the country in terms of cost dynamics, inflation and generally high uncertainty about further changes in the prices of energy, protection agents and fertilizers, as well as the availability of seasonal workers. these reasons will certainly have a negative impact on the level of production of greenhouse tomatoes in Poland in the 2022 season, and thus on the price level of these vegetables.