Italy’s tomato processing industry wrapped up the 2025 campaign with 5.8 million tons of processed tomatoes, confirming the country’s position as the world’s second-largest producer, ahead of China and behind the United States.
Based on 78,695 hectares cultivated, production marked a slight increase compared with 2024 but remained around 10% below initial forecasts, highlighting persistent challenges in agricultural and industrial yields.
Regional disparities were significant. In the Northern basin, 3.12 million tons were processed — a robust 27.6% increase over 2024 — while the Central-Southern regions reported a downturn to 2.71 million tons, down 5.3% year on year.
The overall performance was shaped by rising input costs and weaker output for key product categories. Particularly concerning was the decline in whole peeled tomatoes, a hallmark of Made in Italy production, whose output fell by over 20%.
In the North, a higher Brix level boosted the value of raw tomatoes beyond contracted prices. Conversely, Southern regions faced severe water shortages, especially in the Foggia area, coupled with speculative practices during harvest, pushing costs up by as much as 40% above programmed price levels.
“It has been a long and complex campaign,” says Marco Serafini, President of Anicav, Italy’s National Association of Vegetable Food Preserving Industries. “The uneven ripening of tomatoes extended processing times and reduced industrial efficiency, particularly in the South. The surge in tomato prices — the highest in the world — threatens the sector’s stability.”
Despite regional imbalances, the 2025 campaign underscores Italy’s enduring strength in the global tomato processing market — yet also its vulnerability to climatic stress, resource constraints, and market volatility that demand strategic adaptation.