The changeover in tomato seasons between northern and southern Europe is being overshadowed by late availability from the north and the threat of reduced plantings in the south as well as disease issues.
One UK supplier said: “In general, there is quite a lot of English fruit still on the plants and we are waiting for it to ripen. We have stopped the plants and they are putting all their energy into filling out the fruit. That is why English fruit at this time of year is on the large side,”
It is a similar story on Dutch supplies. Prices have been high in recent weeks because of this but are now easing back slightly as the last fruit becomes available and supplies start to arrive from Almeria.
David Booth of Spania Fresh said: “We received our first fruit from Almeria last week and the quality is good. Fruit is firm and eating quality is good. We will start to see more coming through in the next few weeks and then the first boat with Canary Islands tomatoes will be here at the beginning of November.”
But the season from mainland Spain might not be without problems this season. Reports from Spanish suppliers suggest that some growers are shunning tomatoes in favour of crops with shorter growing cycles. One said: “A lot of people are putting in courgettes and cucumbers this year instead as tomatoes take a lot longer to grow. Producers have some real cash flow problems so there could be a shortage this year and then there is the problem of tuta absoluta pest.”
The pest, also known as leaf miner, has arrived from South America and is finding Mediterranean conditions ideal. Morocco also has a presence of the insect and so supplies of tomatoes throughout the winter may well be disrupted as growers seek effective methods of control.
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