The Extremaduran tomato industry is facing a 12% reduction in acreage this season. This percentage comes down to 14,486 hectares, compared with 16,471 in the previous year, according to figures from the cooperative Mesa del Tomate in Extremadura.
Tomato production for the processing industry in Extremadura also decreased. This year it is 15,221 hectares, while last year it was 16,880 hectares, a decline of 9.82%. The data on contracted hectares by producers and the industry do not entirely correspond, as the Extremadura industry also has contracts in Portugal and Andalusia.
The Mesa del Tomate in Extremadura signals that the tomato production, like other sectors, has financial issues as a result of subsidy cutbacks. However, thanks to innovative technology and the industry’s willingness to adapt, the sector has made some remarkable recoveries in recent years, allowing it to cope with the crisis.
Source: hoy.es