WPTC

WPTC crop update as of 11 September 2026

Sophie Colvine — Sun, 13 Sep 2026 13:42:25 +0000

Amitom countries

Bulgaria

The weather is currently favourable (around 30°C) in the main tomato-producing regions (Stara Zagora, Plovdiv area). Some rain is expected in the west in the coming days. Yield is approximately 80% of forecast, about 10% lower than in 2025. Brix is maintained around 5.The harvest is expected to finish around September 20th. Mite infestations are a continuing problem. The cost of alternative pesticides is very high, making production less profitable. Collective European action — possibly through a tomato industry working group or round table — should be undertaken to present the issue to the EU Commission and seek solutions for effective and affordable mite control.

France

As of the end of last week, France had processed 108,000 tonnes, representing approximately 83% of the revised forecast of 130,000 to 132,000 tonnes (74% of the initial forecast), representing a reduction of around 12%. Current weather includes light rain and wind, but harvesting has not stopped, with temperatures expected to return above 30°C next week. Brix is approximately 5.08 but the defect rate is 8.3%, which is significant, and may be partially due to a growing problem with aeculops lycopersici mites (previously only seen in greenhouses, now appearing in open fields), compounding the effects of heat waves and sanitary stress. This mirrors issues reported in Italy and Spain via Tomato News and would need to be addressed by governments. The season expected to conclude around September 25th.

Greece

The crop is progressing very well. Factories in the south have already closed. Central and northern regions expect to finish by the end of next week. More than 90% has already been processed. The crop turned out better than expected despite some adverse weather at the start of the season, which fortunately did not affect significant areas. Brix is around 5 or slightly above. Quality is very good. The forecast remains unchanged. Rain is expected next Sunday–Tuesday but is not a concern as the campaign is nearly complete.

Hungary

The processing season has progressed steadily over the past few weeks, with generally good fruit quality and favourable soluble solids levels (around 5.4). The harvesting and processing pace has remained consistent, despite the somewhat smaller planted area compared with previous years. At some processors the processing campaign has now been completed. Across the country, the final phase of the season is currently underway. Following a short interruption in some areas, processing has resumed and the remaining crops are being harvested and delivered at a steady pace. The overall campaign is expected to be completed around mid-September. Based on the progress so far, the forecast for the total Hungarian processed tomato volume has been revised to approximately 65,000 tonnes.

Iran

There is no change from the previous report.

Italy

In the North, the latest OI Nord figures for week 35 show cumulative deliveries of 2,3 million tonnes (payable weight) as of 30 August. The campaign remains the most advanced the North has ever recorded at this date, but the lead over the average is narrowing quickly and we are having a sharp decline in September. Quality continues to reflect the summer heat. Soluble solids (average at 4.87 °Brix) below and easing further week on week (4.76 in week 35). Defect rate is 4.93% and payment index is 94%. Organic tomatoes reached about 208,000 tonnes with brix 4.88, about 65% of the contracts, and the harvest is coming quickly to the end On the weather, after several weeks running well above the seasonal norm, maximum temperatures remain elevated. The week of 24–30 August brought scattered rain generally light but heavier in the Parma and Ferrara areas, with localised but intense hailstorms on Friday 28 across parts of Emilia-Romagna and the Lombardia with damages on late crop tomatoes. From today (9th September) and in the next days we will receive rain in North and Center Italy halting the harvest for some days. From a POs survey it has been reported that at the end of August the surface still to be harvested is from 20 to 30%, with possible lower yields on this fraction. The current working forecast for the North is maintained at around 3.25 million tonnes, with clear downside risk on the late crop. In the Centre and South, the campaign is progressing, but delivery rates are much slower than expected. Tomatoes are struggling to ripen. Several factories have begun closing after reaching 85–90% of their scheduled targets. By August 30th, 2.06 million tonnes had been processed. Companies are extremely concerned about rising costs, particularly energy. Natural gas is close to €80/MWh, and electricity and diesel costs are over 100% higher than pre-war levels. Transport costs for fresh tomatoes in the south are a major burden, exceeding €30 per tonne due to the large distances between fields in Puglia and processing factories. Some factories preferred to stop operations rather than run at low capacity with very high costs, given that the market is unlikely to compensate for these costs.

Portugal

After heavy rain two weeks ago that halted operations for approximately four to five days, the following week brought mild/cool temperatures. Last week returned to summer conditions (up to 40°C, stabilizing around 30–32°C). As of Monday 7 September, approximately 63% of the crop had been processed. This is broadly in line with normal progress for this point in the season, accounting for the rain-related delay. Brix levels remain low and are expected to be a characteristic of this season. Quality in new fields being entered is very good. Yield results vary significantly between fields. The next two weeks are critical. Some fields may continue until the end of September, though quantities will be lower. The forecast remains unchanged; a further update will be provided at the next meeting.

Serbia

Harvesting is going well, with dry, hot weather, and as of today 62% of the harvest has been done. The last rain was on 2nd July, so it is now the 68th day without rain. The quality of the tomatoes is good with average brix of 5.46, and average colour of 2.1. The average yield was 75t/ha on early hybrids, and 100t/ha with mid/late hybrids, although some producers hit with hail (even twice) and without water supply, are down to 40t/ha. Altogether the yield will be between 75 and 80t/ha. The harvest should finish around 1st October.

Spain

In Andalucia the last factory will close tomorrow. Yields were below expectations, as already reflected in the previously revised forecast. In Extremadura a couple of factories will already close this week, and most of the others will close between the 20th and 25th of September. Yields are also there below expectations, for similar reasons documented in recent Tomato News reporting. It is difficult to estimate right now the final production, so far we keep the forecast of 2,6 million tonnes.

Tunisia

The processing season is nearing the end with only 3 plants still operating with a daily input of 1,200 tonnes. To date 836,000 tonnes have been processed.

Turkiye

The crop in the south finished approximately one to two weeks ago. Other regions are progressing slowly toward the end. Factories are still operating at roughly 80–90% capacity, with no sharp decline yet. Quality of incoming raw material remains surprisingly good — tomatoes are red and fruits are firm. At least 15 more days of production are expected, with volumes slowly reducing. The weather forecast is mild, which helps tomatoes remain in the fields, and no rain is currently expected. The forecast maintained at the previously reduced level of 2.2 million tonnes.

Ukraine

To date approximately 30% of tomatoes have been processed. Field yields are in line or slightly above expectations and factory yields are good. This year quality is perfect (far above historical average for early tomatoes). Some rains did cause some interruptions, but the biggest interruptions are linked to the Russian attacks on Ukrainian civilians. If mid season varieties perform similar to early season, the forecast of 550,000 tonnes will definitely be reached.

Other WPTC countries in the Northern Hemisphere

California

The estimate is to process 808,630 metric tonnes (891,362 short tons) this week. At the end of this week (week ending 12th September) we will have processed 6,887,889 metric tonnes (7,592,598 short tons). Overall, the crop continues to perform well at this time. One processor has completed harvest at the time of this publication. Over the next few weeks more will begin to complete their harvests and we will finish in the third week of October. Yields continue to be performing at or slightly above contracted levels.

Canada

Harvest is moving along and is 40% complete. Crop quality is good overall, with decent colour and solids. Over the past week, warm late-summer conditions helped push maturity along, with temperatures reaching around 30°C. Although severe weather hit Wheatley on September 3rd with an EF1 tornado and heavy downbursts, local field operations managed to weather the storm well and are continuing to make good progress.

China

As of September 7, the harvest has entered the late stage in China. The forecast is about 5.15 million tonnes, a drop of 700,000 tonnes from 5.85 million tonnes，with further reductions possible later in the season. Three major factors contribute to the forecast reduction: First, Xinjiang experienced strong El Niño weather during flowering, fruit setting and fruit enlargement in June and July. Second, water restriction policies led to water shortages during key growth stages. Third, Inner Mongolia region was hit by two episodes of heavy rainfall and one hailstorm during the harvest period.

Japan

Since August, Japan has experienced continuous heavy rainfall across the country. As a result, production volume is expected to decrease slightly from 24,000 tonnes to 23,000 tonnes.

Other WPTC countries in the Southern Hemisphere

Argentina

The very affordable Chilean paste prices are a huge problem for the local industry. The current estimate is for only around 4.700 hectares to be planted which could produce about 370.000 tonnes at an average yield of 80 t/ha (down from 5,120 hectares and 431,000 tonnes in 2026). A more precise forecast will be available at the end of September. Transplanting started during the first week of September (week 36), with hopes of starting the harvest before Christmas, as has been successful in the past few years. There have, however, been isolated frosts in in the earliest transplant areas in San Juan, and more are expected over the next few days, so some delays are likely. El Niño is a concern. It was an extraordinary winter in terms of snowfall, with snow accumulation above the historical average. This has helped us move out of the critical situation regarding water reserves. However, the atmospheric patterns associated with El Niño are still keeping average temperatures lower than usual and increasing the risk of frost and these conditions should persist for another two to three weeks. There is evidence that the local government is investing in flood damage prevention and the news warns of a stormy season. If it’s true that it will be stormy, production can be much lower because summer storms tend to bring hail.

Australia

The forecast for the coming season is to plant 1,155 hectares for an expected production of a 142,000 tonnes. Planting is expected to start on 24th September. Field preparations have been delayed in some areas due to persistent wet weather during winter.

Brazil

Chile

Based on information shared at between all three processors, the planted area for the 2026/27 season is expected to decrease by approximately 10% compared to last season, bringing the total to roughly 12,500–13,000 hectares. Transplanting in the fields began this week, under normal spring weather conditions: average daytime temperatures ranging between 18°C and 22°C, with nighttime lows not dropping below 2–5°C. The mountain range currently holds abundant snow following a winter with above-average rainfall, so water availability for the entire production season is expected to be secured, with no supply concerns.

South Africa

As of today ,100,000 tonnes have been processed and the season should end within 6 weeks projecting towards a 125 000-tonne harvest for the 2026 season.

L’article WPTC crop update as of 11 September 2026 est apparu en premier sur WPTC.

The 2026 Tomato News Conference

Sophie Colvine — Mon, 07 Sep 2026 14:46:28 +0000

From Field to Factory: Global Production Updates and Innovations Driving the Tomato Processing Industry

Location: Sala Barilla, CibusTec, Parma

Date: Wednesday 28 October 2026, 2.30 pm to 5.30 pm

Registration: Free

Innovations Driving the Tomato Processing Industry

Moderator: Luca Sandei, SSICA

From Computational Fluid Dynamics to Predictive Control: Towards Digital Twins in Industrial Tomato Evaporation

Federico Solari, University of Parma

When every kWh counts – How Tomato Processors Can Reduce Costs and Increase Resilience

Mario Gozzi, MG Foodtech Engineering

Beyond Zero-Steam: Elettra Redefines Flexibility in Tomato Evaporation

Francesco Rossi, Rossi Ingegneria Alimentare (GOLD SPONSOR)

From Rheology to ROI: How Smart In-Line Sensors Are Transforming the Tomato Processing Industry

Johan Wiklund (CEO), Incipientus (GOLD SPONSOR)

Closing the Detection Gap: Using Microwave Technology to Detect Plastics, Rubber, Wood and Other Challenging Foreign Bodies in Tomato Processing

Andreas Lood, Food Radar (GOLD SPONSOR)

Agronomic Revolution

Massimo Zubelli, Fyeld (GOLD SPONSOR)

Global Tomato Processing in 2026

Moderator: Nick Kastle, WPTC president

Roundtable with AMITOM & WPTC members

L’article The 2026 Tomato News Conference est apparu en premier sur WPTC.

WPTC crop update as of 28 August 2026

Sophie Colvine — Mon, 31 Aug 2026 09:03:42 +0000

Amitom countries

Bulgaria

No major new developments; the unusual August conditions with heatwaves and strong winds continue to be abnormal for Bulgaria. Issues include low colour, low yields (approximately 10% below normal). Another heatwave is expected in the coming days.

Egypt

Assessments conducted over the past 15–20 days with agricultural associations and growing communities revealed that supplied quantities are not matching expectations. Approximately 5–7% less acreage has been planted for the summer crop, as some growers shifted to other crops due to increased costs of fertilization, pest control, and energy. Brix average is approximately 4.9. Ongoing assessments of quantities and planted areas are continuing; updated figures are expected by the first 10 days of September.

France

At the end of week 34 (23 August), 80,000 tonnes had been processed, 55% of the expected total which is reduced to 145,000 to 150,000 tonnes due to the successive heatwaves affecting the mid to late season tomatoes: blossom end-rot, sunburnt and floral abortion are reducing yields, especially in the southern fields of the south-east region (Camargue area) than in the Drôme region. Average brix is 5.06 and defect rates of 8%. Temperatures are now down, with no more heatwaves expected, and the recent rains which have not affected the harvest.

Greece

Temperatures are relatively high (35–37°C) but not classified as heat waves; conditions are uncomfortable for people but not damaging for tomatoes. In the south, 80% of the surfaces have now been harvested and the season should end by 10 September. In the centre, 70% of surfaces harvested and the end expected around 15 or 20 September. Yields average 90 to 95 t/ha and fruit quality is good with brix around 5, a bit lower than in 2025. The forecast remains unchanged.

Hungary

The processing season started on 17 August. As mentioned in our previous updates, the unusually cool nights during certain periods slowed down the ripening process, and fruit maturity developed somewhat more slowly than initially expected. Since 23 August, however, the pace of processing has increased, and harvesting is progressing steadily. At present, approximately 25% of the expected crop has been harvested and delivered for processing. The overall situation remains positive, with the season now moving forward at a faster pace.

Iran

Harvesting of the new tomato crop has now started in northern and western regions of Iran, and tomato processing factories are currently operating and processing the new crop. At this stage, it remains difficult to provide an accurate estimate of the final crop volume, as harvesting is still in its early stages and yields are being affected by weather conditions. For the time being, we maintain our previous forecast of approximately 1.7 million metric tonnes of processing tomatoes for the 2026 crop. Weather conditions continue to be an important factor affecting the progress of harvesting. High temperatures and recent heat waves have created additional pressure on the crop and are influencing both harvesting schedules and tomato quality in some areas. There are also reports of sunburn damage on tomatoes in western Iran, although the overall impact on production and final yields is still difficult to quantify. Further information will become available as harvesting progresses and more fields are assessed. Processing factories across the main production areas are now active, with factories processing significant volumes of fresh tomatoes. An important development this season is that factories are processing more tomatoes than in previous years. This appears to be partly related to the current economic situation in Iran and reduced consumer purchasing power. With weaker domestic purchasing power and challenging economic conditions, a larger proportion of the tomato crop is being directed toward industrial processing rather than the fresh market. This increased processing activity could provide additional availability of tomato paste and other processed tomato products during the season.

Italy

In the North, the last OI Pomodoro release state that as of the end of week 33 (16 August), 1.76 million tonnes had been processed with an average brix of 4.9 (below the 2025 average), a defect rate of 4.8%; and a 95% payment index. Week 33 saw the highest weekly input for the last five years, and thus marked the peak of the production while volume started slowing down during week 34 which also saw a reduced brix of 4.83.

It rained between 20 and 50 mm across tomato-growing areas (Piacenza to Ferrara) over the last weekend, causing a temporary harvest stoppage; harvesting restarted on Monday.

POs report a very early crop and early harvest, even for late-transplanted fields so the campaign is expected to finish by mid-September at the latest, with a reduced flow of tomatoes from end of August onwards. The forecast remains 3.25 million tonnes.

In the Centre and South, the campaign is wrapping up in Caserta (Campania) while it is in full swing in Puglia. Quality is good, but Brix levels are lower than usual.
Agricultural yields remain normal for now, but there are significant concerns regarding the late harvest due to the July heat wave. It is still too early to quantify the impact of the heat wave on the late crop.

The season in the south will be longer due to delayed transplanting caused by heavy rains in Puglia in April. There is an uneven ripening issue — the first line of tomatoes is ripening while the last line is still arriving, creating a harvesting dilemma similar to last year in some areas. The yield harvested will be less than the yield in the field, but given current market conditions, this is not expected to be a major problem. No heavy rain is forecasted in the short term, but some websites are predicting a very difficult September (though long-term forecasts are not fully reliable).

The forecast remains 3.1 million tonnes for the Centre and South, so the total for Italy remains 6.35 million tonnes.

Portugal

Portugal is experiencing very unusual August weather with heavy rain and thunderstorms since Sunday; some areas received 8–12 mm of rain. Some factories stopped operations on Monday as growers could not access fields; some factories attempted to continue working very slowly. Heavy storms again on the current day (morning/evening) have made field work impossible; harvesting is not possible today. Tomorrow, some showers are still expected but after Friday, conditions are expected to normalize, with harvesting resuming on Friday or Saturday. Fields that were ready for harvest need to be processed quickly once the sun returns. Late September fields still need to be evaluated; there were already question marks about yields from those late fields. Brix levels are the lowest seen in 25 years – below 5 on average (usual average is 5.2), attributed to the mild spring and weather conditions. Colour quality remains very good, which is typical for Portugal. As of Monday, approximately 40% of processing had been completed. Overall, the season is not expected to exceed the estimated volume and may be slightly lower, though it is too early to confirm.

Serbia

Harvesting is progressing without problems and 40% of the surface has been harvested to date. On the remaining 60%, we expect much better colour of tomatoes 2,1 – 2,2 vs 1,9 – 2 and yield more than 95 t/ha vs 80 t/ha now. In the future, we will focus on more heat resistant varieties.

Spain

In Andalusia two factories have already closed, and the rest will still work at least some days of September. Yields are generally 5 to 15% lower than expected. In Extremadura, 55 to 60% of the volume has been delivered already. Medium and late tomatoes have been affected by heat waves and mite attacks, resulting in lower yields. Light rains occurred last Monday with no significant impact so far. It is still difficult to give an accurate forecast, but the revised maximum forecast is 2.6 million tonnes, and it may be lower. Some rain is forecasted for today and tomorrow in Extremadura, but it is not expected to be to be heavy.

Tunisia

As of 23 August, 807,000 tonnes have been processed. At present only 5 factories are still open with a daily input of 3,400 tonnes of fresh tomatoes.

Turkiye

The harvest in the south, where lower surfaces than usual were planted this year, is now finished, while the other regions (Balıkesir, Bursa, Manisa) are all at peak harvest simultaneously, which is unusual as they are typically staggered. All factories are processing from their own local supply; no inter-regional tomato transport is occurring. Another ten days of peak are expected. Turkiye has not experienced the same extreme high temperatures as other regions, so the impact on the late crop is still unknown. Clear skies are forecasted for the near future. Brix is between 4.8 and 5 depending on the area/factory, which is considered average to slightly high for Turkey. The forecast is reduced to 2.2 million tonnes due to forecast lower yields in the later crop and partially due to tomatoes being left in the field due to oversupply during the peak of the crop.

Ukraine

Everything is ok. The forecast remains the same. Early tomatoes are good from any side.

Other WPTC countries in the Northern Hemisphere

California

According to the USDA report released today, contracted production for California processing tomatoes is forecast at 10.0 million tons (9,072 million metric tonnes), averaging 54.9 tons per acre. The current production forecast is 10 percent below last year’s contracted production of 11.1 million tons (9.97 million metric tonnes), and 1 percent above the May forecast. The projected harvested acreage of tomatoes grown under contract is 182,000 acres (73,500 hectares), down 4 percent from 2025. Variable weather patterns throughout the spring and summer affected the uniformity of crop development. This marks the third consecutive year of declining contracted acreage as the industry works to balance inventory levels with market demand. The processing tomato harvest began in the last week of June, nearly a week earlier than usual, and is expected to conclude before the end of October. Yields are reported to be above average, though they are not expected to reach the record highs achieved in 2025. The Processing Tomato Advisory Board published shipments through August 22, 2026, showing a 9 percent decrease compared to this time last year.

Canada

Harvest began on August 14, with most processors starting during the week of August 17. To date, the crop looks good, with good colour and solids. While some fields experienced slightly delayed maturity due to the cooler weather over the past couple of weeks, harvest is progressing well overall. At this point, it is anticipated that contracted volumes will be achieved, with the potential to finish slightly above contract.

Japan

No changes to report.

Nigeria

Harvesting commenced in the first week of February 2026, with fields harvested in batches according to maturity, reaching peak harvest in the third week. The harvest season spanned approximately five weeks. Weather conditions remained relatively consistent throughout the harvest period, with average morning temperatures of approximately 28°C and midday temperatures of 37°C. Relative humidity ranged between 25% and 41% during both periods. During the reporting period, the factory received and processed approximately 1,642.75 metric tonnes of fresh tomatoes from the farming team, producing 267.7 metric tonnes of tomato concentrate at 27°Brix. The raw material recorded an average starting Brix of 4.4, with a favorable color value of 1.8. Approximately 29.25 hectares were planted with high-quality hybrid tomato varieties, producing 1,813.65 metric tonnes at an average yield of 60.5 t/ha. This represents a 51% increase over the projected yield target. A reliable water source from a nearby dam provided consistent irrigation throughout the production cycle, supporting crop development through full maturity and harvest.

L’article WPTC crop update as of 28 August 2026 est apparu en premier sur WPTC.

WPTC crop update as of 14 August 2026

Sophie Colvine — Sun, 16 Aug 2026 06:07:46 +0000

Amitom countries

Bulgaria

Farmers indicate that yield will be 10% lower than expected but brix is around 5. They report infestation by orobanche in two fields for the first time ever. Mites are also a problem due to the hot and dry weather. This pest has been an issue for several years and recommendations on potential treatments is requested from other AMITOM members.

France

By the end of last week, we should have reached the one-third mark of the harvest and therefore around 50,000 tonnes. The South-West got underway at the start of last week. All the processing plants are now up and running. At the moment, the quality is good, with a Brix slightly above 5, but there is still an overall 7.5% defect rate. This is partly due to organically farmed crops, where the level is higher. We still cannot get a clear picture of the impact of the five heatwaves we have experienced and are still experiencing this week. It is, of course, the harvests in late August and September that will be affected. Nor do we know what the weather will be like during that period. Depending on the varieties and farm conditions, some crops have a shorter growing cycle, whilst others are entering a new growth and flowering phase; added to this is the earlier-than-usual appearance of mites in the south-east. In short, planning the delivery of crops to the factory is proving extremely complicated… We are maintaining our forecast at 150,000 tonnes, but it may therefore be revised downwards at the end of the season.

Greece

The harvest is going well and all is normal. The weather is reasonable, with temperatures around 35°C. The South has already processed about 50% of the forecast and the Centre about 30%. Quality is good. Brix is around 5, slightly lower than last year in the Centre and slightly higher than last year in the South. The forecast is maintained at 450,000 tonnes.

Hungary

Everything is progressing according to plan. We are excitedly waiting for the start of harvesting next week. We are once again in the midst of the regularly recurring heat waves.

Iran

No further change apart from crop to be late due to problems in Iran. There is no big change apart from that.

Italy

In the North, the delivery figures from the latest OI Nord on week 31, show that cumulative deliveries reached 929,000 tonnes as of 2 August. This is the highest volume the OI has ever recorded at this point in the season, and roughly more than 50% above the five-year average for the same week. Week 31 alone brought in 415,000 tonnes, the strongest week so far and well above the 5-year average. Quality reflects the heat. The soluble solids on round tomatoes stands at 4.95, below average of 5.09 and easing week on week (4.89 in week 31). The defect rate is 4.56%, and the payment index is 96,8% Effective planted area in Northern Italy is confirmed at about plus 7% compared to last year (for integrated cultivation) and for organic crop up till 19 %. The main cultivated areas are Emilia-Romagna (63%), Lombardia (21%), Piemonte (9%) and Veneto (7%); Piacenza and Ferrara remain the two largest provinces. The weather has been the dominant factor. After localised rain and hail in late July (Ferrara, Ravenna, Mantua — several thousand hectares affected), a new intense heatwave set in at the start of August: maximum temperatures above 37°C, anomalies of +3–4°C. Ripening is accelerating fast. The heat wave seems to end beginning next week where some rainstorms are expected. Early crop has given average yield, but the producer organisations forecast a drop in yield after 20–25 August. On current final cultivated surfaces our working forecast is increased to 3,25 million tonnes for the North, but a certain risk for lower yields on the medium and late crop could affect the final result. In the Centre and South, processing is also faster than usual. By 10 August, we have already processed about 30% of total surface according to satellite survey, which is more than usual. Quality is good. Puglia will be at full capacity at the end of this week while Caserta is slowing down. Concerned by consequences of heat wave that is still on, we expect a drop in temperatures next week, they are currently still too high, so we are concerned about the late crop. The forecast is increased from 3.0 to 3.1 million tonnes. The total forecast for Italy is therefore raised to 6.35 million tonnes.

Portugal

We have been quite lucky with temperatures with 28-31 °C in the day. dropping to 17-19 °C at nights, with some breeze, so good conditions overall. One factory is not yet opened but all the others are processing. At the beginning of this week, we were at 13- 14% of the harvesting. Brix is quite low, unusually low. Colour is quite good, within the average for Portugal. Not expecting any change in weather. The forecast is maintained but there may be some doubts about September fields as they had been affected before by the earlier weather.

Serbia

Harvesting started on 31 July, but after 10% of the surface we had to stop on 5 August because the ripening was not good, so we restarted today. We now have a good quality, with a brix at 5.2-5.3, the same as last year, but the heatwave damaged colour of tomatoes, even though we have nearly zero greens, many tomatoes are orange. We will continue harvesting and see again in two weeks. Up to now the average yield is 85 t/Ha. The forecast is maintained.

Spain

In Andalucia, 50% of the crop has been processed, with some factories already reaching 60%. Quality is good, we expect some losses, but it is too soon to estimate how much. In Extremadura, the average deliveries are about 30 to 35%. Quality is also good, but we have growing problems with mite attacks due to the phase-out of plant protection products used to control them. Yields are good so far, but we expect reduction in yields for medium and late harvests. The forecast is maintained at 2.7 million tonnes.

Tunisia

As of 10 August, the cumulative volume of fresh tomatoes received to date stands at 737,000 tonnes, with a daily processing rate of approximately 8,000 tonnes. Currently, 9 processing plants are in operation.

Turkiye

Most of the Factories are open as of today in the North and South. The first region of Turkey, Torbalı area is around 80% through. It is an area that already had lower planting initially, so it is not a surprise. The Bursa area has started as of this week and will reach peak very quickly, along with a Mid Region Salihli/Manisa which is also delayed. These two areas are likely to clash and cause an oversupply for 10-15 days. The later crop is there until October however yield reduction is expected due to heat stress for the later crop. As of today, we keep our estimation the same as it seems a lower yield is compensated for by more than expected planting in some smaller regions. The weather seems clear. The harvest quality is average as is the brix.

Ukraine

Our biggest concern is still the war, destroying infrastructures, houses etc. The weather is good for tomatoes; it’s one of the best years so far for the last 3 years. We did not get any complaints from growers. Early and mid-season look very good, late season tomatoes look like they suffered from the heat but still one month to go for ripening so they might still be ok. Harvesting should start by the end of this week. The forecast is maintained at 550,000 tonnes.

Other WPTC countries in the Northern Hemisphere

Brazil

As of today there is no changes in the tomato crop.

California

The estimate is to process 878,854 short tons (797,038 metric tonnes) this week. At the end of this week (week ending 15 August) we will have processed 3,961,581 short tons (3,961,581metric tonnes). Overall statewide there are a couple of things happening at this point and time. We are seeing the impact of some delays during spring planting and the bloom has expanded over a longer period of time, this has caused a slower ramp up of production. Currently the crop is running around contracted levels. A new NASS/USDA estimate will be released at the end of the month.

Canada

August brought typical summer weather with plenty of sunshine and a few passing thunderstorms. While the weather earlier in the season caused some isolated bacterial spot on early plantings, the crop is looking good overall, and it is expected that contracted volume targets will be achieved. Harvest is set to begin later this week and early next week.

China

Forecasts remain unchanged. The harvest started early on 27 July. Temperatures were higher and rainfall was below average during June‑July 2026. Processing tomatoes are at peak bloom and fruit‑set during this period. High heat may cause adverse effects, though hard to quantify.

Japan

The surfaces planted and total volume to be processed are the same as the last report. The Kanto and Chubu regions are at the peak of their harvest season, spanning from the late July through the first half of August. From June through the first half of July, crops growth has been proceeded smoothly thanks to moderate rainfall across the country. However, with an increase in typhoons and heavy rain since the start of August, there are concerns that harvest volumes may decline.

L’article WPTC crop update as of 14 August 2026 est apparu en premier sur WPTC.

WPTC crop update as of 31 July 2026

Sophie Colvine — Sun, 02 Aug 2026 14:27:03 +0000

Amitom countries

Bulgaria

The harvest started last week with the last factory scheduled to start next week. Conditions are good to date and yield are as planned.

Egypt

The summer harvest is delayed by two to three weeks due to late transplant. Temperatures are currently very high at 39-40°C on average with peaks to 43°C and this will hopefully not continue into August. Factories are now running normally and there is no change to the forecast.

France

In the south-east the harvest started early on 14 July and to date 17,000 tonnes have been processed. Quality and yield are good for now but there are concerns regarding the later part of the crop following the succession of heatwaves, with a new one starting today: there is a risk of stress on the canopy, blossom end rot, sunburns and loss of yield. In the south-west harvest should start on 4 August.

Greece

Factories in the south started on 22 July, and in the centre slowly on the 24th. The crop is progressing well. Some rains and a short heatwave did not cause serious problems. The forecast remains unchanged.

Hungary

The weather is changing, after the heatwave came a period when the nights were unusually cool. Unfortunately, there is hardly any precipitation, only small, local showers. Extreme heat will return in the next few days. The forecast is unchanged.

Iran

There is not much change to report. War conditions are complicating the situation.

Italy

In the North, the harvest began very early: on 9 July with certain specialty varieties (datterini, cherry, etc.) and on 13 July with round tomatoes. Nearly all factories have been operating since last week. OI Pomodoro reported a total processed volume of 175,000 tonnes as of 19 July (a record for this date), with an average of 5.1 °Brix and a 4.2% penalty rate.
Rain and hail last week, mainly in the eastern part of Emilia-Romagna (Ferrara and Ravenna) and Lombardia (Mantua), affected several thousand hectares, with varying degrees of damage. The overall forecast is unchanged, but the mid- and late-season crop is likely to be affected by the heatwaves, with temperatures again expected to exceed 35 °C by day and 25 °C at night over the coming week. The early crop is ripening very quickly, and a sharp drop in volume is expected after 20–25 August, following a large production peak that may strain factories’ ability to absorb all the ripening fruit, given very limited spare capacity.

In the Centre and South, the harvest also started one week early in week 29 (w/s 13 July) in Caserta with good quality but with lower brix. In Puglia harvest, at high rate, will start next week with long tomatoes. High temperatures are accelerating ripening and causing some concerns for the mid and late part of the crop. There is spare capacity but limited by transport capacity in order to absorb a large peak.
Surfaces planted were measured at 38,000 hectares, +15.4% compared with 2025.

Forecasts remain unchanged at 3.1 million tonnes for the north and 3 million tonnes for the South.

Portugal

The harvest started this week. Temperatures have been stable after the first heatwave in early July and the crop looks promising.

Serbia

A strong heatwave is expected for the next ten days with night temperatures above 20°C. Most of the irrigation comes from rivers which are currently very low and in the north irrigation had to be stopped which may reduce yields in fields. Moreover, some surfaces were damaged by hail. In other areas conditions are good and yields averaging 90 t/ha are expected. The total forecast is reduced by 5% to about 54,000 tonnes.

Spain

The harvest started during the second week of July in Andalusia and all factories are now at full capacity with pressure from the fields as tomato is ripening faster than expected. Yields are now good after a low start. Quality is good, with good brix and colour. In Extremadura the harvest started on Monday 20 July and since Monday all plants are open. Early tomatoes are fine but there are concerns regarding the middle and late part of the crop which will be affected by the successive heatwaves, although it is currently difficult to estimate the losses.

Tunisia

in several regions, facilitating a gradual return to more favourable weather conditions. In agricultural terms, the high temperatures accelerated the ripening of tomatoes, shortening the optimal harvesting period. In some fields facing a shortage of irrigation towards the end of the growing cycle, cases of sunscald on the fruit were observed, occasionally affecting their quality. Conversely, plots benefiting from controlled irrigation and managed in accordance with technical guidelines suited to mechanical harvesting withstood the high temperatures better thanks to more developed plant cover, thereby limiting the effects of the heat on the fruit. Despite these difficulties, the sector has managed to maintain a daily processing rate of between 19,000 and 20,000 tonnes of fresh tomatoes, demonstrating the responsiveness of processors and the effective coordination between all stakeholders. This performance confirms that the overall impact of the heatwave remained limited and did not jeopardise the smooth running of the national processing season. Despite particularly challenging weather conditions, the 2026 season thus confirms the adaptability of Tunisia’s industrial tomato sector, thanks to the efforts of producers, processors and public institutions, which ensured that operations continued under satisfactory conditions.

Turkiye

The harvest only started slowly last Monday in the south and all factories are not yet open. There will be a slight delay in the north with the start expected around 8-10 August. Like in the Greece there has been some heavy rain near Bursa but no hail. The country has not been affected by the heatwaves. The crop is delayed but shows good development and there is no change to the forecast.

Ukraine

The forecast remains the same at 550,000 tonnes. There are enough tomato fields to achieve this goal. The weather in July was variable: hot at the beginning; Some rains and even hailstorms in the middle of month; heat wave last week; nice difference of day and night temperature. As for now, no significant damage or unusual pressure from weeds and insects have been reported. The harvest should start in two weeks.

Other WPTC countries in the Northern Hemisphere

Brazil

There is no change to the previous estimate of c. 1.35 million tonnes. All factories are now processing.

California

The estimate is to process 843,201 short tons (764,939 metric tonnes) this week. At the end of this week (week ending August 1st) we will have processed 2,425,192 short tons (2,200,097 metric tonnes). Harvest in the Southern part of the State is going very well with yields above contract at this time. In the Northern part of the State harvest began on July 17th with volumes increasing last weekend. So far in the North the crop looks to be at contract or slightly above in some fields. Overall quality has been good to date with solids performing at this time close to last year’s levels.

Canada

July saw hot and humid conditions with very scattered showers. Mid-July also brought hazy skies and air quality warnings as wildfire smoke blew down from northwestern Ontario, temporarily diffusing sunlight. Overall, the tomato crop is progressing, though fruit size is running a bit small due to the dry weather. While general disease pressure has stayed relatively low, we have seen some early-season pressure in some fields.
This season, there are 11,977 acres planted (c. 4850 hectares), with 571,560 short tons (518,500 metric tonnes) contracted. The harvest is set to begin mid-August.

Japan

Surfaces planted and total volume to be processed are the same with the last report. Precipitation levels from April to June 2026 exceeded the seasonal average. Consequently, there was minimal damage from issues such as drought, and crop growth has generally proceeded smoothly.

South Africa

The current estimation is for 120,000 tonnes in 2026, down 7,7% on the earlier volume expectations of 130,000 tonnes. More than 60% of volumes are already delivered and the deliveries are picking up, as the cool winter condition comes to an end. The bulk of the harvest should reach the factories within the next 8 weeks and then the season will slow down ending in October.

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WPTC crop update as of 3 July 2026

Sophie Colvine — Sun, 05 Jul 2026 08:11:22 +0000

The world production estimate is back below 40 million tonnes as across Europe and the Mediterranean a widespread heatwave during the second half of June and some localised storms have triggered downward crop forecasts in several countries, with worries about potential losses in many regions. Italy, however, bucked the trend by raising its forecast to 6.1 million tonnes due to expanded planting areas. On the American continent, harvesting is successfully underway in California ahead of schedule, while Canada reports healthy crop progression despite high humidity. Heavy rains and disease in May may lead to reduced productivity in Brazil. No change is reported in China.

Amitom countries

Egypt

Now we’ve started the summer crop and quantities are increasing from day to another. Quality is good, but temperature in average is 38°C during the day & 27°C during night. The forecast remain the same so far, and hope not to see higher temperatures in the coming two months.

France

Both the Southeast and Southwest regions were affected by a long heatwave over the last two weeks which may have some effect on the later part of the crop while the early crop seems to look fine. Temperatures are now lower but another heatwave is expected from the end of the week, and furthermore with wind. There are no diseases. A total of 2,090 hectares were planted, down from 2,422 hectares in 2025, but with a significant increase of the organic surfaces, to 400 ha. The forecast remains 150,000 tonnes.

Greece

The plant development is good in all regions and pointing towards a slightly earlier crop. Storms with some hail and strong winds in the centre two weeks ago caused some damages and the probable loss of about 10, 000 tonnes, meaning the total forecast is now reduced to 440,000 tonnes.

Hungary

The tomato plants are developing nicely and evenly. There has been a brutal heat wave in recent days with a record high of 42°C yesterday. Due to the reduction in total field area, irrigation capacities are still ok with our farmers.

Iran

The 2026 Iranian tomato crop was previously forecast at approximately 2.1 million tonnes. However, based on the latest information received from growers and market sources, particularly from the southern production regions, we are revising our forecast downward to 1.7 million tonnes. Harvesting in southern Iran has produced lower-than-expected yields, and overall crop performance has not met earlier expectations. As a result, we believe a reduction in the production forecast is justified. The main factors behind this revision are the continued water shortage, which remains the most significant challenge for tomato production, as well as ongoing uncertainty in the Iranian market due to geopolitical developments. Harvesting in the northern and western regions of Iran is expected to begin in the coming weeks. We will continue to monitor crop conditions and harvest progress closely and will provide updated information as more reliable production data becomes available. In terms of trade, the Iranian government’s export ban on tomatoes has now been lifted, allowing growers and exporters to resume exports to international markets.

Italy

In the North, we are coming off two weeks of scorching heat, with significant climate anomalies (see the charts at ARPAE’s regional climate graphs, which track average regional temperature and cumulative rainfall against the 1991–2020 climate reference period). With these extreme temperatures, crops are under stress and facing a persistent water deficit, with possible repercussions on fruit set, fruit size, and yield, although it is not yet possible to estimate the damage. In some province (for example Parma and Piacenza) river water withdrawal has rapidly dropped to minimal levels and will shortly be suspended entirely, under environmental regulations governing the Minimum Vital Flow (DMV) of watercourses. Farmers will therefore be able to rely only on well water, resulting in a further increase in cultivation costs Transplanting operations were completed in the second week of June. Final data collection on hectares as of 30 June will be available around 15 July, but current estimates point to an increase in planted area of roughly 20% for organic and a lower rate (4-5%) for conventional. At a recent meeting between growers’ associations (OP) and industry, it was confirmed that early crops and special varieties (cherry tomatoes) are expected to see earlier ripening and harvest (1 week in advance compared to the normal). No particular plant diseases have been reported on the crops at this time.
The overall production estimate has been raised to 3.1 million tonnes due to the increase in planted area compared to last year, pending clarity on the impact of the heatwave on crop productivity.

In the Centre and South, the prices were set on 17 June at 140 euros per tonne for round tomatoes, 150 euros for long, which is 10 euros lower than in 2025. Price for organic are 45 euros higher. The region also suffered from the heatwave, which may affect the yields mainly from the second half of August, although temperatures dropped at night for may not have been too much flower drop. It seems however that early fruits may be smaller than normal. This year, contrarily to 2025, there is no issue with availability of water.
Although the results of the satellite analysis will only be available on 20 July, a survey shows that surfaces planted have increased by about 10%, as farmers were keen to plant.
The forecast in the Centre/South is therefore raised from 2.8 to 3.0 million tonnes, meaning the total for Italy is up from 5.8 to 6.1 million tonnes.

Portugal

Transplanting operations finished on time and the weather in June has been more or less acceptable. Another heatwave is however starting today and should last for the next 7 to 10 days, which may affect the fields. Harvest is expected to start at the end of July, and the forecast remains unchanged at 1.3 million tonnes.

Serbia

Planting finished on 7 June and conditions were good until ten days ago when the heatwave started. It rained yesterday. There is no change to the forecast of 57,000 tonnes.

Spain

The final surfaces planted are about 2% lower than expected. Also, the temperatures which had lowered in the last few days after the long heatwave of the last couple of weeks are rising again, which may cause some flower abortions. Some storms a-with hail in Extremadura have also lead to the development of diseases which may contribute to a reduction in the size of the crop. Consequently, the forecast is reduced to 2.7 million tonnes, with further reductions probable. The harvest should start during the third week of July in Andalucia.

Tunisia

The processing season for industrial tomatoes began on 22 June. To date, seven processing plants are in operation, but data on processing rates is not yet available. The total planted area is approximately 15,500 hectares.

Turkiye

Conditions have been normal with no high heat and after a late planting temperatures are now favourable for a good crop development with a slight delay of 5 to 10 days. Water availability is good and there are no diseases. The forecast remains 2.45 million tonnes.

Ukraine

Planting finished by mid-June and the forecast remains 550,000 tonnes with the harvest scheduled to start during the second week in August. Weather has been good so far, with some rain, and although it is currently hot it is not too bad.

Other WPTC countries

Brazil

Weather issues caused by unusually heavy rainfall in May and June in São Paulo and Goias impacted certain areas, resulting in severe damage and increased disease incidence, which in turn led to a drop in expected productivity. Large-scale processing is expected to begin in the second week of July, following planting delays in March caused by the rains.

California

The weather has been very mild for this time of year over the last week. Organic harvest started on June 29th and conventional harvest started on July 1. Volumes will pick up over the next week and we are a few days ahead of schedule at this time.

Canada

June started with mild temperatures and scattered rainfall and ended with heat and humidity well above historical averages. The tomato crop is progressing well, and disease pressure remains low. This season, there are 11,977 acres planted (c. 4850 hectares), with 571,560 short tons (518,500 metric tonnes) contracted.

China

There is no change to report.

Japan

There have been no changes since the last report and the expec ted volume remains 24,000 tonnes. Planting was completed across all regions by the end of June. Although precipitation has been higher than usual this year, crop growth has generally proceeded well nationwide so far.

South Africa

The RSA is still on a planned projection of 130 000 tonnes unchanged. The season is past the 50% mark on volumes received. The winter production runs behind schedule due to slower ripening conditions, both due to a cool winter season and lower yields due to persistent disease pressures. Crop volumes expected to be lowered within next forecast when there are more yield certainties.

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Nick Kastle elected WPTC President

Sophie Colvine — Thu, 25 Jun 2026 12:53:46 +0000

The World Processing Tomato Council (WPTC) announced the election of its new leadership team during the closing ceremony of the Monterey congress. Nick Kastle has been named the new President of the WPTC, succeeding Manuel Vazquez, while Antonio Casana has been elected to serve as the organization’s new Vice President. Both industry veterans will lead the council during their upcoming term, driving global collaboration and expansion within the processing tomato sector.

Nick Kastle brings over 20 years of experience in the food and agriculture industry to the presidency. After beginning his career in grocery and food service procurement, he earned his MBA at Saint Mary’s College, where his graduate project introduced him to the processed tomato sector. Kastle subsequently spent ten years with The Morning Star Packing Company, working across industrial paste, food service pouches, and sun-dried tomatoes. In 2017, he joined the J.G. Boswell Company as Vice President of Marketing, where he currently oversees processing tomatoes, pima cotton, and oilseeds.

“I am honored to step into the role of President,” said Nick Kastle upon his election. “Over the years I consider myself blessed to have met such admirable colleagues in this industry. I am looking forward to a productive term and excited to champion the engagement and introduction of the tomato processors in India to the WPTC.“

Joining Kastle in leadership is newly elected Vice President Antonio Casana who graduated in Agricultural Science from the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore in Piacenza in 1991, completing his dissertation on tomato genetics. He began his career in Quality Assurance management for tomato and vegetable processing companies before becoming an administrator at Suncan in 1999. Since 2003, Casana has been with Solana SpA, a leading tomato processing firm in Italy, serving initially as General Manager and taking over as CEO in 2013. A widely respected global figure, Casana has also served as a contract professor on Food Technology, is President of AMITOM, President of the vegetable product sector at UIF (Unione Italiana Food), a member of the Board of Directors for ANICAV, and is a past President and current Sustainability Committee President of TomatoEurope.

Kastle and Casana, together with continuing Vice President Manuel Gonçalves are poised to guide the WPTC for the next two years, strengthening ties between established processing regions and emerging global markets.

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The WPTC congress returns to its roots!

Sophie Colvine — Thu, 18 Jun 2026 13:15:44 +0000

The World Processing Tomato Council (WPTC) dropped a major milestone announcement at the closing ceremony of its successful congress in Monterey: the global tomato community is heading home. In June 2028, the 17th World Processing Tomato Congress and 19th international Symposium on Processing Tomato will return to its birthplace—the legendary Popes Palace in Avignon, France.

This isn’t just another venue choice; it’s a return to the industry’s roots. In November 1989, Avignon hosted the very first World Congress. It was a historic meeting that sparked the creation of both the WPTC and Tomato News. Nearly 40 years later, the global tomato elite will gather in that same outstanding historical setting to chart the future of the industry.

“Returning to Avignon isn’t just a nod to our history; it’s a strategic launchpad for our future,” says Robert Giovinazzo, Director of SONITO. “We are thrilled to welcome the world back to this incredible setting from June 4 to 7, 2028, to drive the next era of global industry growth.“

Save the Date:

What: 17th World Processing Tomato Congress & 19th International Symposium on Processing Tomato

When: June 4–7, 2028

Where: Popes Palace, Avignon, France

Who: The 2028 Congress is spearheaded by SONITO, the inter-professional organization uniting French tomato growers and processors, alongside AMITOM and WPTC.

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WPTC crop update as of 7 June 2026

Sophie Colvine — Tue, 16 Jun 2026 01:10:16 +0000

According to the figures presented during the first day of the WPTC congress in Monterey, it is estimated that 40.1 million tonnes of tomatoes should be processed in 2026, a small decrease of 1% compared the 40.4 million tonnes processed in 2025.

AMITOM

Antonio Casana, AMITOM president, presented the situation in Europe and the Mediterranean region. At 17.6 million tonnes, the total forecast in the AMITOM countries is 4% higher than the 16.9 million tonnes processed in 2025.

AMITOM remains the dominant region at world level with more than 40% of the total world production and with 5 countries in the top ten (Italy, Spain, Turkey, Iran and Portugal). The region’s output show a more stable production compared the world cycle, with an output remarkably stable year to year, varying only between 16 and 17 million tonnes, while world production is far more volatile. Notably, the 2024 world peak (45.9 million tonnes) was driven by non-AMITOM origins, notably China and California, but with different dynamics within members (Italy was with the lowest production output in 2024.

Currently, 3 AMITOM countries are in war situation (Ukraine, Israel, Iran) creating a high uncertainty. Also, increasing input cost for farmers and processors happened after Covid in 2020 and is reshaping the landscape of the industry also in this 2026 crop (fuel, fertilizers, agrochemicals in the fields and gas, electric energy, packaging and transport for processors) are impacting heavily the tomato industry in AMITOM countries. Climate change and water availability are the main challenges for most of the countries that in the last 5 year faced very different and opposite situation in many different countries.

EU policy & international trade agreements also have an effect, with the tightening of EU rules (ETS/CBAM carbon costs, PPWR packaging compliance, CAP reform, NGT framework) raising costs and reshaping competitiveness, while trade developments — the EU–Mercosur agreement and an unfavourable US tariff environment — open some markets but expose AMITOM producers to greater external competition.

North America

Aaron Giampietro from Morning Star presented production in North America which remains dominated by California. With about 9 million tonnes expected in 2026, the state represents 90% of the total volume processed in the USA and Canada, with 912,000 tonnes in the Midwest region and 62,000 tonnes in the Northeast region.

In the Northeast region, two main companies, Furmano Foods (Northumberland, PA) and Violet Foods (Williamstown, NJ) should process about 62,000 tonnes.

In the Midwest, Red Gold, Inc. (Elwood, IN) and Hirzel Canning Co. (Northwood, OH) should process 393,000 tonnes, while Highburry Canco (Leamington, ON), Sun-Brite Foods (Ruthven, ON) and Conagra Brands Canada (Dresden, ON) should together process the total of 519,000 tonnes for Ontario.

In California, the approximately 9 million tonnes estimate represents a 15% reduction compared wit the volume of over 10.5 million tonnes processed in 2025. While 2025 high production was largely a result of record yields, surfaces have been reduced in 2026. California’s forecasted production is based on an assumed average yield of 120 tonnes per Hectare. By historical standards, this is aggressive, however, 2025 performance shows it is definitively achievable.

Planting activities and crop development look to be on track. Although California has experienced some unseasonal weather, so far, any negative impacts are expected to be limited. California is expecting to begin some processing by the second week of July and the state is expected to be operating at full capacity by early August.

South America and Rest of the World

Manuel Gonçalves, WPTC Vice-President, presented production in eight countries in South America (Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Peru) and the rest of the world (Argentina, Japan, Nigeria and South Africa). These have altogether increased production over the last 10 years and represent 8-10% of the world production. However, if we look long term we notice a 28% increase until 2024 and strong (responsible) adjustment from 2024 to 2026, with volumes for 2026/27 flat-to-slightly-lower.

South America remains the dominant region, with Brazil (1.46 million tonnes expected in 2026), Chile (approximately 1.3 million tonnes processed in the season just finished) and Argentina (approximately 400.000 tonnes processed) accounting for the bulk of processed tomato volume, followed by Australia (161,000 tonnes), Peu (150,000 tonnes) and South Africa (130,000 tonnes expected), with a small production in Japan (24,000 tonnes expected) and in new WPTC member Nigeria (about one thousand tonnes).

Climate volatility (El Niño, drought, flooding, heatwaves) is the single most consistent risk across all countries, affecting yields, quality and planning certainty. Water availability is the critical variable to watch, with Australia, Chile and South Africa all flagging water as a top risk for the next season. Rising input costs — energy, packaging, fertilizer, transport — are squeezing margins at both farm and factory level everywhere, while on the markets, consumer behavior shifts (weight-loss trends in Brazil, social media-driven import preference in Australia, health-driven growth in Japan) are reshaping demand patterns in unexpected ways.

China

According to Zhu Chenhui from COFCO Tunhe who presented remotely from Beijing, the total volume expectation in China is currently about 5.85 million tonnes, but this figure may change with future weather conditions. This is 19% more than the 4.9 million tonnes processed in 2025, but nearly 80% less than in 2024 (10.45 million tonnes).

As of June 1, the transplanting work in China has been completed. The planting area in China is about 50 thousand hectares, an increase of 15% compared to 2025. Including 31.3 thousand hectares in Northern Xinjiang, 9.5 thousand hectares in Southern Xinjiang, 8.5 thousand hectares in Inner Mongolia, and 0.7 thousand hectares in Gansu-Ningxia.

In late April and early May, parts of Xinjiang and Inner Mongolia were struck by hail and sandstorms, which impacted the early transplanting of tomato seedlings, but not significantly. According to the annual weather forecast, Growing chances of El Niño may result in extreme weather. Very high temperatures may negatively impact blossom and fruit set.

It is expected that 87 factories will be operating during the season, 5 more compared to 2025, equivalent to the 2022 level. The daily capacity is 225.000 tonnes, an increase of 20.000 tonnes compared to 2025, up by 10%.

The contract price of fresh in China is USD 70/MT, up by USD 3 per MT, a 5% increased compared with 2025. Other costs have increased by more than 10% compared with 2025. Ocean freight rose by 174% for the Persian Gulf route, 15% for the Mediterranean route. Pallets went up by 13%, aseptic bags by 5% and steel drums by 5%.

The consumption of processed tomatoes in China is estimated at 1.7 million tonnes fresh for 2026, about 28% of total production volume, more than 10% up compared to last year. According to data from Hongcan Big Data, the market size of the hot pot industry reached 639 billion yuan in 2025 and is expected to hit 670 billion yuan in 2026. The sour soup with tomato has emerged as a fast-growing segment in recent years. It reached 14.5 billion yuan in 2025, representing a year-on-year increase of 16%, and is projected to reach 16 billion yuan in 2026.

The market size of Western cuisine in China reached 328 billion yuan in 2025, a year-on-year increase of 10.3%. The total number of restaurants stood at 325,000, rising by 6.6% year on year.

L’article WPTC crop update as of 7 June 2026 est apparu en premier sur WPTC.

WPTC crop update as of 27 May 2026

Sophie Colvine — Sun, 31 May 2026 07:44:08 +0000

Amitom countries

Bulgaria

The low temperatures during the first two weeks in May have delayed plant growth.

Egypt

It is currently the transition period with the harvest of the summer crop due to start in the first week of June. There is currently no change in the forecast but hopefully temperatures will not get too high. There is currently some pressure on fertilisers and other costs including transports so growers may start asking processors for increases in prices.

France

Planting is expected to be completed by the end of next week. The heatwave is putting the final stages of planting under considerable strain but, so far, there have not been any reports of problems. The total surface is expected to be below 2,000 hectares, compared with 2,422 hectares in 2025.

Greece

The situation is normal with a good weather apart from some localised storms or hailstorms in May but with no serious effect. Temperatures are currently only about 2°C above normal so there is no serious heatwave as there is in other countries. There is a slight delay in the South, but it could be an early crop in the Centre.

Hungary

The planting took place between the beginning of May and May 21st, and was completed on time. The quality and yield of the seedlings were good, so the surface was planted according to the plans. In recent weeks there have been unusually many weather effects: at the beginning of the month there was still frost, then within a few days a heat wave, and finally 50-60 mm of precipitation arrived after two months dry period. Seedling growth varies depending on conditions, but is typically fine.

Iran

No data

Israel

No data

Italy

In the North, already about 80% of the surfaces have been planted and operations should be finished during the second week in June. The weather was cold with rains until 15 May but currently temperatures are 8 to 10 °C higher than normal with 34-35°C which is completely unusual. Consequently, transplanting operations are stopping in the central part of the day. The situation is actually quite smooth with no major issue, and we will see if the heat has any incidence. There is no change in the forecast.

In the Centre and South, it is also currently very hot. Transplanting is going well despite delays in the northern zones in Puglia and Molise due to the rains in early May, which however had the advantage of filling the reservoirs. Negotiations with growers are continuing but a meeting in Foggia this week did not enable to reach an agreement as OPs argue that higher costs of energy, fertilisers and other inputs should lead to a price no lower than last year, while processors would like to see a reduction as was agreed in the north. As usual processors are ready to pay a higher price consequently to the harvest in small bins. It is more expensive for farmers and for processors, but ensures a better quality. It is probable that surfaces will increase in the south, and thus possibly volumes although yields are uncertain based on the issues of the last few years.

Portugal

The weather changed a few days ago when temperatures rose from a low 21-22°C to about 30°C now but they should go back to a reasonable 28°C in a couple of days. About 95% of the surfaces have now been planted and all should be done by the end of the week. There is no change in the forecast.

Spain

Transplanting operations have been finished both in Extremadura and Andalusia and plant development has been good to date. Since last Friday temperatures have risen sharply to 35°C or up 40°C . There are no significant impacts reported on the crop to date, but the heat could last for another ten days. Final surfaces will be confirmed by mid-June and to date the forecast remains unchanged at 2.75 million tonnes.

Tunisia

The planted area covered 14,340 hectares as of 5 May. A delay in transplanting the seedlings has been observed following rains during planting. The start of the season is scheduled for late June 2026. Processing estimates for this year are around 800,000 to 900,000 tonnes, with carry-over stocks of paste of between 30,000 and 40,000 tonnes.

Turkiye

There is no significant update. The planting has been interrupted by rainfall throughout the period. The weather has only recently started to reach seasonal normals. This is expected to add a delay to an already late crop. The forecast remains the same.

Ukraine

Conditions are good and the forecast remains 550,000 tonnes.

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