EU tomato and citrus fruit imports from third countries are subject to enhanced monitoring by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Food. The data shows an undeniable increase in the volume of EU tomato imports from non-EU countries in recent years; mainly from Morocco, but also from other Mediterranean countries such as Turkey and Tunisia.
Between September 2022 and February 2023, the EU imported 492,653 tons of tomatoes from Morocco, a volume that accounted for 73.3% of the total imported and that was 8.5% higher than in the same period of the 2021/22 campaign and 30.7% more than the average of the last 5 campaigns. Morocco was followed by Turkey with a 21.8% share, a 7.3% increase compared to the previous campaign, and a 49.1% increase compared to the average. Tunisia ranked third place with a more modest share but a 33% increase over the previous campaign and a 48.2% increase over the average.
The value of Moroccan tomatoes imported into the EU stood at €145.18/100 kg in the period analyzed, growing by 12% over last year and by 21.8% compared to the average of the last 5 years.
The average value of Turkish tomatoes stood at €127.38/100 kg, i.e. 31.9% more than in the previous year and 35.8% higher than the average of the last five years.
Tunisian tomatoes stood at € 211.38/100 kg, and it was the only origin that recorded a reduction (-9.5%) in the value of its tomatoes compared to last season. Their value, however, was 16.8% higher when compared to the average.
According to this last analysis shared by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Food, in February the EU imported 63,317 tons of tomatoes from Morocco, i.e. 8.5% less than in the same month of last year. Meanwhile, imports from Turkey increased by 37.7% compared to February of 2022 and by 72.0% compared to the average for that month of the last 5 years, and stood at 24,820 tons.
In that same month, the EU imported 2,533 tons of tomatoes from Tunisia, i.e. 15.9% more than in the same month of 2022 and 23.1% more than the average.
You can read the full report at the following link.