The 2019 edition of “Il Filo Rosso del Pomodoro” (The Red Thread of Tomato) – the event organized by Italian tomato industry association Anicav that brings together the representatives of the supply chain in Naples – was an opportunity to discover the main trends in this industrial sector. A sector in which 115 companies operate, employing 10,000 permanent and 25,000 seasonal employees, developing a turnover of 3.3 billion euros.
THE TOMATO INDUSTRY NUMBERS
In 2019 Italian red preserves companies processed 4.8 million tons of tomato on 64,528 cultivated hectares (+6.4% compared to 2018): a production substantially in line with last year. This figure is part of a general growth in Europe (+9%) and worldwide (+7%). The performance of China is outstanding. With 4.5 million tons it has increased production volumes by about 18%, while Spain and Portugal have recorded an increase of more than 15%.
ITALY’S PROCESSED TOMATO SECTOR BY THE NUMBERS
| Companies | 115 |
| Employees | 35,000 |
| Turnover | 3.3 bln € |
| Exports | 1.7 bln € |
ITALY’S PERFORMANCE
Overall, Italy represents 13% of world production and 50% of processed tomatoes in Europe. Italian exports, worth 1.7 billion euros, continue to give satisfaction to operators balancing the drop in domestic consumption. More than 50% of total production is destined for exports both to Europe (Germany, France, the UK) and to other countries, such as the USA, Japan, and Australia. In the first half of 2019, exports grew by +5.9% in volume and by +8.9% in value, with a largely positive trend on the trade balance (ISTAT data).
ITALY’S PROCESSED TOMATO EXPORTS – DESTINATION COUNTRIES
| Europe | 68% |
| Asia | 10% |
| US | 9% |
| Africa | 9% |
| Oceania | 4% |