An agreement has been reached for the price of processing tomatoes in northern Italy for the 2023 growing season. Representatives of the agricultural sector expressed content with the negotiated price of €150/mt, which is greater than the processors' initial proposal. The National Association of Canning Industries (ANICAV) said that the deal did not live up to their expectations as the new level represents a 40% increase from the previous season.
The contract keeps the contractual basis for quality requirements from 2022, whilst also adding on an extra €1/mt for tomatoes after 12th September, this is an incentive to extend the harvest beyond mid-September. ANICAV emphasised the urgency of the situation in the region to reach the agreed price.
The industry believes that retailers will acknowledge the efforts of both the agricultural and industrial sectors and assure competitive prices for tomato-based goods as the sector faces agronomic challenges and a projected 20% crop loss compared to 2022.
