How to Export Tomatoes Successfully: A Complete Guide for Beginners
Tomatoes are one of the most popular and widely consumed vegetables in the world. They are also a lucrative export product, as they have a high demand in many countries. However, exporting tomatoes is not an easy task, as it requires careful planning, quality control, market research, and compliance with various regulations. In this article, we will provide you with a complete guide on how to export tomatoes successfully, covering the following topics:
- The benefits and challenges of exporting tomatoes
- The main tomato varieties and their characteristics
- The best practices for tomato cultivation and post-harvest handling
- The major tomato exporting and importing countries and their requirements
- The steps to follow to start your tomato export business
Benefits and Challenges of Exporting Tomatoes
Exporting tomatoes can bring you many benefits, such as:
- Accessing new markets and customers
- Increasing your sales and profits
- Diversifying your income sources and reducing risks
- Enhancing your reputation and competitiveness
- Contributing to the economic development of your country
However, exporting tomatoes also comes with some challenges, such as:
- Facing high competition from other exporters
- Meeting the quality standards and preferences of different markets
- Dealing with pests, diseases, and environmental factors that affect tomato production
- Managing the logistics and transportation of perishable products
- Complying with the trade regulations and tariffs of different countries
Therefore, before you decide to export tomatoes, you need to do a thorough market analysis, feasibility study, and risk assessment to ensure that you have a viable business plan.
Tomato Varieties and Their Characteristics
There are hundreds of tomato varieties in the world, but not all of them are suitable for export. Some of the factors that you need to consider when choosing a tomato variety for export are:
- The shape, size, color, flavor, and texture of the fruit
- The yield, maturity, shelf life, and disease resistance of the plant
- The adaptability to different climatic conditions and soil types
- The demand and preferences of the target market
Tomato varieties
Some of the most common tomato varieties that are exported are:
Cherry tomatoes
These are small, round, sweet, and juicy tomatoes that are usually eaten raw or used in salads. They have a long shelf life and can be packed in clusters or loose. They are popular in Europe, North America, and Asia.
Plum tomatoes
These are oval-shaped, firm, and fleshy tomatoes that are mainly used for processing into sauces, paste, or canned products. They have a low water content and a high sugar content. They are popular in Mediterranean countries, Latin America, and Africa.
Beefsteak tomatoes
These are large, round, meaty, and flavorful tomatoes that are mainly used for slicing or stuffing. They have a high water content and a low sugar content. They are popular in North America, Europe, and Australia.
Grape tomatoes
These are small, oblong, crunchy, and sweet tomatoes that are similar to cherry tomatoes but have a thicker skin. They are mainly used for snacking or garnishing. They have a long shelf life and can be packed in clamshells or trays. They are popular in North America, Europe, and Asia.
Best Practices for Tomato Cultivation and Post-Harvest Handling
To ensure the quality and safety of your tomatoes for export, you need to follow some best practices for tomato cultivation and post-harvest handling. Some of these practices are:
- Selecting certified seeds or seedlings from reputable sources
- Preparing the soil with organic matter and fertilizers according to soil test results
- Planting the tomatoes in raised beds or trellises to improve drainage and air circulation
- Irrigating the tomatoes regularly but avoiding waterlogging or overwatering
- Applying integrated pest management (IPM) techniques to control pests and diseases without excessive use of pesticides
- Harvesting the tomatoes at the right maturity stage according to the market requirements
- Sorting and grading the tomatoes according to size, shape, color, ripeness, and defects
- Washing and sanitizing the tomatoes with potable water and approved disinfectants
- Packing the tomatoes in clean, ventilated, and labeled containers according to the market specifications
- Cooling and storing the tomatoes at optimal temperature (10°C) and relative humidity (90%) to maintain freshness and prevent decay
Major Tomato Exporting and Importing Countries and Their Requirements
According to the Observatory of Economic Complexity (OEC), the world’s top exporters of fresh or chilled tomatoes in 2021 were Mexico ($2.57 billion), Netherlands ($1.97 billion), Spain ($1.18 billion), Morocco ($929 million), Canada ($459 million). The world’s top importers of fresh or chilled tomatoes in 2021 were United States ($2.97 billion), Germany ($1.68 billion), France ($764 million), United Kingdom ($655 million), Russia ($460 million).
Each country has its own requirements and regulations for importing tomatoes, which may include:
- Phytosanitary certificates and inspections to ensure that the tomatoes are free from pests and diseases
- Quality certificates and inspections to ensure that the tomatoes meet the quality standards and specifications of the destination market
- Tariff rate quotas (TRQs) and preferential trade agreements (PTAs) to determine the duty rates and quotas for importing tomatoes
- Labeling and packaging requirements to provide information on the origin, variety, weight, grade, and date of packing of the tomatoes
- Food safety and traceability requirements to ensure that the tomatoes are safe for human consumption and can be traced back to their source
Therefore, before you export tomatoes to a specific country, you need to research and comply with its import requirements and regulations.
Steps to Start Your Tomato Export Business
If you want to start your tomato export business, you need to follow these steps:
- Conduct a market research and identify your target market, customers, competitors, opportunities, and threats
- Develop a business plan and a marketing strategy for your tomato export business
- Register your business and obtain the necessary licenses and permits for exporting tomatoes
- Establish a reliable supply chain and network with tomato growers, processors, packers, transporters, and exporters
- Find potential buyers and negotiate contracts, prices, terms, and conditions for exporting tomatoes
- Arrange the logistics and transportation of your tomatoes to the destination market
- Manage the documentation and customs clearance of your tomato shipments
- Monitor the feedback and satisfaction of your customers and improve your tomato export business accordingly
Tomato Export Trends in 2023
Tomatoes are one of the most widely traded fresh vegetables in the world, with a global export value of $10.4 billion in 2022. However, the tomato export market has faced some challenges in 2023, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change, trade disputes and consumer preferences. In this blog post, we will analyze some of the main trends and statistics of tomato exports in 2023, based on data from World’s Top Exports and the European Commission.
Top Tomato Exporters in 2023
According to World’s Top Exports, the top 15 countries that exported the highest dollar value worth of tomatoes in 2022 were:
- Mexico: US$2.7 billion (25.7% of exported tomatoes)
- Netherlands: $1.8 billion (17.4%)
- Spain: $1.1 billion (10.8%)
- Morocco: $1 billion (9.9%)
- France: $620.9 million (6%)
- Canada: $470.3 million (4.5%)
- Türkiye: $373.6 million (3.6%)
- China: $327.5 million (3.1%)
- Belgium: $318.6 million (3.1%)
- United States: $312.4 million (3%)
- Azerbaijan: $167.6 million (1.6%)
- Italy: $164.3 million (1.6%)
- Poland: $103.4 million (1%)
- Portugal: $81.8 million (0.8%)
- Tunisia: $60.3 million (0.6%)
These 15 countries accounted for 92.6% of all tomatoes exported in 2022.
However, not all of these countries maintained or increased their tomato exports in 2023. Some of the fastest-growing exporters of tomatoes in 2023 were:
- France (up 21.3% from 2022)
- Morocco (up 20.1%)
- Tunisia (up 16%)
- Poland (up 15.6%)
On the other hand, some of the major suppliers that posted declines in their exported tomatoes sales in 2023 were:
- China (down -24.8%)
- Netherlands (down -13.9%)
- Italy (down -12.3%)
- Belgium (down -11.6%)
Some of the factors that influenced these changes were the COVID-19 pandemic, which disrupted supply chains and demand patterns; climate change, which affected crop yields and quality; trade disputes, such as the US-Mexico tariff war and the Brexit negotiations; and consumer preferences, such as the demand for organic, local and seasonal products.
Tomato Export Prices in 2023
Another important aspect of tomato exports is the price level and variation across different markets and products. According to the European Commission, the average price for fresh tomatoes exported from the EU in 2023 was €0.96 per kg, which was slightly lower than the €0.98 per kg in 2022.
The EU tomato export prices varied depending on the destination market and the product category. For example, the average price for fresh tomatoes exported to Switzerland was €2.17 per kg, while the average price for fresh tomatoes exported to Belarus was €0.35 per kg.
Similarly, the average price for cherry tomatoes exported from the EU was €1.66 per kg, while the average price for plum tomatoes exported from the EU was €0.77 per kg.
The tomato export prices also fluctuated throughout the year, depending on the seasonality and availability of supply and demand. For instance, the highest price for fresh tomatoes exported from the EU was recorded in February 2023 at €1.12 per kg, while the lowest price was recorded in July 2023 at €0.82 per kg.
Some of the factors that influenced these price variations were weather conditions, production costs, exchange rates, trade policies and consumer preferences.
Tomato Export Trade Flows in 2023
The final aspect of tomato exports that we will examine is the trade flows between different countries and regions, both for fresh and processed products.
According to World’s Top Exports, the top five importers of fresh or chilled tomatoes in 2022 were:
- United States: US$2 billion (19% of imported tomatoes)
- Germany: $1 billion (9.7%)
- United Kingdom: $948 million (9%)
- France: $764 million (7.2%)
- Russia: $569 million (5.4%)
These five countries accounted for 50.4% of all tomatoes imported in 2022.
However, some of these countries changed their import patterns in 2023, due to various reasons. For example, the United States reduced its imports of fresh tomatoes from Mexico by 15%, due to the imposition of tariffs and the renegotiation of the USMCA trade agreement. On the other hand, the United Kingdom increased its imports of fresh tomatoes from Morocco by 25%, due to the Brexit deal and the preferential trade arrangements.
Similarly, according to World’s Top Exports, the top five importers of processed tomatoes (such as paste, sauce, juice and ketchup) in 2022 were:
- Germany: US$1.1 billion (13.4% of imported processed tomatoes)
- United States: $1 billion (12.2%)
- United Kingdom: $686 million (8.3%)
- France: $646 million (7.8%)
- Japan: $382 million (4.6%)
These five countries accounted for 46.4% of all processed tomatoes imported in 2022.
However, some of these countries also changed their import patterns in 2023, due to various reasons. For example, Germany increased its imports of processed tomatoes from Italy by 10%, due to the high quality and variety of Italian products. On the other hand, Japan decreased its imports of processed tomatoes from China by 20%, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the trade tensions.
Tomato exports are a significant and dynamic sector of the global agri-food trade, with many opportunities and challenges for both producers and consumers. In 2023, tomato exports were affected by various factors, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change, trade disputes and consumer preferences, which resulted in different trends and statistics across different markets and products.
References:
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http://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#data/QC/
https://web.archive.org/web/20130214062847/http://anrcatalog.ucdavis.edu/pdf/8116.pdf
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http://www.iapt-taxon.org/nomen/main.php?page=art23
https://doi.org/10.2307%2F3558365
https://agriculture.ec.europa.eu/data-and-analysis/markets/overviews/market-observatories/fruit-and-vegetables/tomatoes-statistics_en
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