Italy’s Mutti has officially concluded its 2026 tomato campaign, marking the end of a season defined by extreme climate volatility. Despite the challenges, the European leader in the tomato derivatives sector successfully processed 775,000 tons of raw material, demonstrating a robust industrial capacity to maintain quality standards even in a difficult year.
Resilience in the face of climate change
The campaign, which saw an early start in early July, was significantly impacted by record-high temperatures and violent hailstorms. These events hindered crop development, leading to agricultural yields per hectare that fell below the five-year average, particularly in Northern Italy. However, Mutti’s strategic territorial presence and industrial flexibility allowed the company to preserve product quality, with the Southern regions showing remarkable productivity.
The urgency of structural action
Francesco Mutti, CEO of Mutti, emphasized the critical nature of the current agricultural scenario: “The resilience of the sector cannot depend on cyclical factors alone; we urgently need immediate infrastructure interventions and responsible planning.” The scarcity of water resources and the receding glaciers in the Padana Plain present a systemic risk for the entire Made in Italy food sector.
Focus on quality and future sustainability
Despite the complexity, the Italian shelf-stable tomato company confirmed its commitment to its agricultural partners through its historical rewards system, ranging from the ‘Quality Prize’ to incentives for early products. As the industry moves forward, Mutti stresses that waiting for the next climate disaster is no longer an option, calling for a unified approach to safeguard the future of Italian agriculture.