Morocco told the EU Tomato Experts Panel that met in Brussels on Friday, which is composed of representatives of producers and trade associations in the different Member States and the European Commission, that, according to its forecasts for the 2015/2016 campaign, round tomato production will increase.
According to the representatives of Morocco, total production for 2015/2016 would amount to 803,600 tons of tomatoes, 2% lower than in the 2014/2015 season, with the following distribution: Round tomatoes 68%, branch tomatoes 6%, and cherry tomatoes 26%.
This redistribution implies a reduction in the production of cherry tomatoes and their specialties, due to higher production costs, both in equipment, packaging, and labor, said the Moroccan representatives. It also implies a higher offer of round tomatoes.
Meanwhile, the representatives of France and the Netherlands said their campaign would last until mid-November. They also highlighted their satisfaction with the good economic results of the summer-autumn campaign, thanks to a reduction in supply, an increase in demand due to high temperatures and, starting August, the highest average prices in the last five years.
The major producing countries expect that the acreage will remain stable in the next campaign.
At the meeting, the reform of the entry price was also analysed. FEPEX stated the need for having two different import prices, one for round tomatoes and another for cherry tomato. Meanwhile, the representatives of Morocco argued that the import value should be calculated on a daily basis, instead of a weekly basis as the European Commission proposed.
The Tomato Experts Panel is one of the sectoral advisory groups of the European Commission, composed of representatives of producers and trade associations in the different Member States and the Commission. It meets twice a year and analyses the campaign forecasts in the EU and the market situation.
