More than a month has passed since a severe heat wave caused the destruction of numerous tomato crops in Israel, consequently sending prices into a tailspin. And it is worth noting that the Tomato Mosaic virus (ToMV) has also been causing enormous damage to tomato crops for a year and a half already.
The ToMV is most active with high temperatures and affects the plant during the setting, which is the stage in which the fruits are beginning to become edible. After the virus strikes, the production is reduced and their shelf life is shortened; infected tomato plants weaken and shrink and have to be pulled up and grown all over again. Many producers were forced to destroy the integrity of their greenhouse tomato production intended for sale.
Last week, cooling temperatures have slowed down the activity of the virus in greenhouses and the Ministry of Agriculture is now seeing an increase in production volumes. In a week or two, it is expected that this production will reach the markets, thus allowing for a price reduction and a return to normality.
