Reader’s Digest – December 2021

In December 2021, we published the following articles:

• Global Imports of Tomato Products, updated 30 November 2021.
• The program of the 9^th edition of the Filo Rosso del Pomodoro, happening on the 2^nd December in Naples, has been published.
• A new study aims to develop a semi-automated method to discern and quantify RKN (Root-Knot Nematode), the most common plant-parasitic nematode, using digital image analysis.
• The Italian company Consorzio Casalasco del Pomodoro (together with 3 other organizations) has started a 5-year Diverfarming project, financed by the European Commission, with a view to adopt diversification practices, a more efficient use of resources, economic competition and preserving the soil.
• The Benchmark European carbon price hit a new record high, above 80 euros ($90.272) per metric tonne.
• Coldiretti and Princes Industrie Alimentari signed a new national supply chain agreement to protect the "100% made in Italy" tomato.
• Cooking sauces have seen another increase in value and in volume and product ranges are going upmarket. This growth is driven by supply as well as by demand, and industry players are confident that this trend will remain.
• During the Filo Rosso del Pomodoro, results of the research conducted by SWG and Laboratorio Adolescenza confirmed that young consumers are attentive to labeling and information on the origin of raw materials.
• In California, rising prices, such as diesel prices doubling in 6 months, as well as fertilizers and more, are draining the farmers' pocketbooks and are having an impact on the food market.
• In the Philippines, the Philippine government abolished the Northern Foods Corporation (NFC) and its Ilocos tomato plant.
• Botanists from the University of Basel developed a model to determine the origin of food in an efficient and low-cost manner, addressing the common problem of false country of origin claims.
• Global Exports of Tomato Paste, updated 15 December 2021.
• Paste Prices, December 2021: USA, Spain, Portugal, Italy, China, Chile.
• Steel prices will continue to rise and will be higher in the next decade, due to many factors, such as rising coal prices and carbon cost.
• Canada needs to import tomato paste, canned tomatoes and tomato sauces, mainly from the USA, but also from Italy for 29% of the canned tomatoes and 2% of the sauces.
• In California, the CTGA reached a price agreement with all processors for 2022, 24% higher than of 2021.
• In Italy, as part of the "Positive" project, research shows that it is possible to save up to 200 cubic meters of water per hectare per year.
• Prices of Canned Tomatoes, December 2021: Italy, Spain, USA, Greece, Portugal.
• As global warming increases, gene editing could help tweak the tomato species to cope with higher temperature and less water. However geneticists first need to isolate the proper genes to target, and consumers, reaction, as well as legal hurdles could prove major obstacles to overcome. 

You can find the individual articles in the NEWS list and/or search by keyword, date etc.