Reader’s Digest – May 2023

In May 2023, we published the following articles:

• Researchers in Israel report that stressed tomato plants emit high frequency sounds that carry information and could be heard by insects and animals.
• WPTC Crop Update as of 29 April 2023.
• Goodpack organized a tomato webinar on "the Future of Packaging".
• The EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) proposed a new tolerable daily intake for bisphenol-A, that is 20,000 time slower than the current threshold. The European Commission will follow up on this advice.
• Prices of Canned Tomatoes, May 2023: Italy, Spain, USA, Greece, Portugal.
• The company Hunterlab launched 2 new spectrophotometers for the tomato processing industry, the Agera and the ColorFlex EZ Tomato.
• In China, the province of Xinjiang suffered from snowfall early May, with one third of the tomato fields already planted, which could mean a significant reduction of the production.
• In Italy, where price negotiations are at a standstill, the ANICAV proposes to move to a biennial agreement.
• Graco organized a live tomato podcast, now available to watch on demand, on sustainable and cost-efficient solutions to transfer tomato varieties.
• Greek exports of tomato products are on the rise, mainly due to a recent surge in sales of canned tomatoes.
• TOP 50 global processors in 2022.
• Mutti launches fresh tomato soups on the Italian market, where pasta consumption is declining while soup consumption is up, mainly due to young consumers.
• California recorded heavy rainfalls, which delayed the planting and could result in a shortage of tomatoes this summer.
• Tomato Paste Prices, May 2023: USA, Spain, Portugal, Italy, China, Chile.
• A study from The Picky Eater website and The Food Institute revealed that Italian cuisine is the most popular worldwide.
• Kraft-Heinz has recently invested in China and has big ambitions for the Chinese market.
• Brazil's trade balance in tomato products is slowly improving, after nearly 15 years of deficit.
• A report submitted by the AGRI Committee to the European parliament details the results of a study on the impact of extreme climate events on agriculture production in the EU.
• The EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) and the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) have been officially published.
• Global Imports of Tomato Products, updated May 17 2023.
• New products were launched recently: new flavors for Heinz spicy sauces, tomato jam from Carrefour in Spain, new dishes from Valfrutta in Italy, tomato beer in New–Zealand, result of a collaboration between a farmer an a brewer.
• The implementation of CBAM in Europe will affect the global metals trade. It is likely to cause higher prices and impact trade flows.
• The Netherlands have asked the European Commission to open a zero-duty quota for tomato paste. TomatoEurope and the Coldiretti are opposed to it and believe it could damage the tomato processing industry.
• The Turkish press has announced that Koç Holding, which holds 44% of Tat Gida's shares, is considering the sale of Tat Gida, the largest tomato processor in Turkey.
• Global Exports of Tomato Paste, updated May 26, 2023.
• In Northern Italy, an agreement was finally reached at 150 euros/tonne, an increase of more than 40% compared to last year.
• Major floods hit northern and central Italy early and then mid-May. It is too early to assess the damage, but over a hundred cooperatives have been affected. 

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