The agricultural organizations Apag Extremadura Asaja and the Association of Farmers and Ranchers of Villanueva de la Serena (Agryga) criticized the tomato prices imposed by the industry in 2025. Farmers consider that the 107 euros per ton price is "ruinous" and endangers the sector's economic viability in the region.
In a joint appearance, Juan Metidieri, president of Apag Extremadura Asaja, and Herminio Íñiguez, president of Agryga, demanded urgent solutions. According to Íñiguez, the tomato sector's situation in the region is unbearable and could lead to producers abandoning this crop, which would affect the sector's sustainability and rural employment.
He also said that producers were selling at a loss because producing a ton of tomatoes costs 128 euros and farmers were only being paid 107 euros per ton. The difference compared to last year, when the industries paid 130 euros and the cooperatives 150 euros per ton, implies the sector is losing 43 million euros.
Metidieri criticized the ineffectiveness of the Food Chain Law, which should guarantee fair prices. "The law requires the autonomous communities to publish production costs, even if only as a guideline," he said. He demanded sanctions for companies that impose prices below production costs.
International competition, especially tomato imports from China, is aggravating the crisis. Metidieri denounced that Chinese tomatoes are entering the European market at low prices and that they harm Spanish producers. "It's not fair that our farmers compete under unequal conditions," he stated.
The agricultural organizations are proposing measures to guarantee the sector's survival: setting a minimum price that covers production costs, maintaining last year's prices; effectively applying the Food Chain Law to avoid abusive prices;
limiting tomato imports from third countries to protect the domestic market; and approving direct aid for affected producers.
If no action is taken, tomato production in Extremadura will be in danger, Metidieri warned. The agricultural organizations plan to intensify their demands and mobilizations to demand answers. "We'll continue to fight until the countryside is guaranteed a decent future," Metidieri stated.
The resolution of this crisis will depend on the political will and the sector's capacity to unite in defense of its interests. Uncertainty persists for Extremadura's tomato producers, who expect concrete measures to stop the debacle of their activity.
Source: agronewscastillayleon.com