Italy: Opening Prices Soften, Remain Above 2022

After last year’s slight drop, Italian quotations for new crop products are again slightly down this year, by around 2 to 4%, but remain above the opening prices of 2022.

On 24 October, the Emilia Region Chamber of Commerce published B-to-B opening quotations for tomato products produced during the 2025 processing season All product categories showed small declines compared with last year’s opening quotations, ranging in Euros from 2.35% for triple concentrate to 4% for pulp. Opening prices in Euros are 2% to 4% lower than their averages for the previous three years, depending on product category. Expressed in US dollars and taking into account variations in the EUR/USD exchange rate, prices for products from the 2025 harvest show slightly more marked declines.

In the words of Aldo Rodolfi, speaking as representative of the Commission from the Chamber of Commerce, “Prices respect the contract made before the crop. There is a small reduction for some products, not because of any reduction of raw material prices or industrial prices, but because of the general situation of the market worldwide.

Last year, the situation for tomato paste after the crop was different, so the price was reduced, also for Italian processors, in order to stay in the market. The other prices are quite similar to last year’s opening prices.

We expect the Italian market to be stable, no big reduction or increase, the better production this year is going to partly balance last year’s.”

Antonio Casana, president of AMITOM , adds: “The Italian processors are pretty sold out right now. As the crop was 12% less than the original forecast. At this moment, it is very difficult to find industrial product on the market.”

Aldo Rodolfi continues: “In Italy, we have lots of customers (retail, food service mostly) asking for products from Italian origin, so you can’t switch to another region. “

Initial observations indicate that while the price of raw materials has increased, overall cost pressures may be easing, primarily due to recent improvements in the price and availability of packaging, although uncertainty regarding European energy costs and industrial production is still a factor.

As a reminder, the following diagram illustrates the cyclical nature of world production in parallel – by way of example – with the evolution of Italian opening quotations for Hot Break double-concentrated paste. The last long-lasting market depressions, after 2009 and 2015, came after episodes of excessive production, which had been preceded by significant rises in world prices for tomato products, notably in 2008 and 2014.

Some complementary data
Evolution of Italian opening prices for tomato products in Euros per tonne, by category over the last twenty-three years.

Sources: Borsa Merci Parma – Camera Di Commercio Dell’emilia, TDM, professional sources