Reader’s Digest: October 2024

In October 2024, we published the following articles:

• Global Exports of Tomato Paste, updated October 1, 2024.
• US exports of tomato pastes have risen since the beginning of 2024. However, the surplus generated dropped by around one third in value.
• Interview: Francesco Mutti on the crop, the market situation and his company's strategy.
• Recent studies from Austrian researchers from the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) shows that carbon sequestration on farmland could reduce greenhouse gas emissions and enhance agricultural productivity and resilience to climate change.
• A case study analyzing an Italian tomato processing company qualified the environmental impact and evaluates that the thermal units are the main ones responsible.
• WPTC Crop Update as of 4 October 2024.
• California: Weekly Tonnage as of 5 October 2024.
• The European Commission has nominated a new European Food and Agriculture Commissioner, Christophe Hansen, from Luxembourg.
• The Tomato Sauce project was the opportunity to visit tomato fields and factories in the north of Italy and talk about sustainability, organized by the OI Pomodoro North Italy.
• Morning Star Tomato Bites, October 2024.
• Prices of Canned Tomatoes, October 2024: Italy, Spain, USA, Greece, Portugal.
• A new plant opened in Kyrgyzstan, in the Chui region. The main products will be organic fruits and vegetables.
• Casalasco launched an experimental project, in collaboration with the Faculty of Agriculture of the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore of Piacenza, for the creation of the first agrivoltaic park for growing tomatoes.
• Obituary: Marcello Mutti.
• Italian exports of tomato products grew in 2023/2024, although more in unit value than in tonnages. and they ranked second for tomato pastes.
• Interview: Costantino Vaia, CEO of Casalasco, answered our questions on this year's crop and the company's plans for the future.
• California: Weekly Tonnage as of 12 October 2024.
• Kraft Heinz inaugurated its expanded production facility in Egypt, in West Cairo. The expansion lasted 2 years and comprised seven production lines, a sewage treatment unit as well as an upgraded administrative building.
• In Australia, SPC Global, the Original Juice Company and Nature One Dairy announced plans to merge, thereby creating an Australian based food and beverage FMCG giant.
• Anicav participated in the Nordic Organic Fair, held in Stockholm, to promote organic tomato preserves as part of the Red Gold from Europe project.
• The OI Pomodoro Nord will be present at SIAL in Paris to continue promoting the sustainability of Italian tomato products.
• Global Imports of Tomato Products, updated October 18, 2024.
• California: Weekly Tonnage as of 19 October 2024.
• Mario Gozzi, CFT, held a conference during the WPTC congress on the era of zero-steam tomato plants (part 1 & 2)
• Researchers from Qingdao Agricultural University in China developed a bacteria-based technology that captures carbon dioxide and utilizes it to produce lycopene.
• Nestle Spain
• California: Weekly Tonnage as of 26 October 2024.
• WPTC Crop Update as of 21 October 2024.
• Italian opening prices are down by 5%. Processors expect to be out of stock in June or July 2025, due to difficult weather conditions in the North of Italy.
• Martin Stilwell was tasked to talk about Global comparison of costs of production during the WPTC Congress in June in Budapest.
• Tomato Paste Prices, October 2024: USA, Spain, Portugal, Italy, China and Chile.
• The Croatian processor Podravka opened a new plant in Varazdin, thereby doubling its production capacity. 

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