Morning Star colleague Aaron Giampietro returns with another TOMATO BITES by Morning Star update. In this edition, he reviews the 2024 tomato harvest, which is projected to conclude at 95% of the USDA NASS report’s forecasted yield by mid-October. Additionally, California’s water supply for the coming year is expected to meet demand, and the East and Gulf Coast dockworker port strike has ended with a tentative agreement.
Morning Star colleague Aaron Giampietro returns with another TOMATO BITES by Morning Star update. In this edition, he reviews the 2024 tomato harvest, which is projected to conclude at 95% of the USDA NASS report’s forecasted yield by mid-October. Additionally, California’s water supply for the coming year is expected to meet demand, and the East and Gulf Coast dockworker port strike has ended with a tentative agreement.
We’re excited to announce that The Morning Star Packing Company will be exhibiting at SIAL Paris from October 19 – 23! We would love for you to stop by our booth (4N 067) and meet our team.
Morning Star colleague Aaron Giampietro is back with another TOMATO BITES by Morning Star update. This edition covers the USDA NASS report, which revises California’s processing tomato estimate to 11.3 million paid short tons, down from 11.6 million. Key points include projected field yields, acreage changes, and the impact of the July heatwave on quality.
As we transition into Fall, growers are already looking ahead to 2025 with a range of considerations. They are evaluating prices, demand for their commodities, borrowing interest rates, financing, labor, weather, and water resources, alongside their usual business concerns.
In 2024, California’s weather has presented us with a mixed bag of challenges and triumphs. Winter temperatures and precipitation were slightly above average, but saw mild interruptions in transplanting, while July brought about extreme temperatures—over 100 degrees for more than 50 days in the San Joaquin and Sacramento Valleys. On a positive note, August saw a further increase in the California State Water Project (SWP) water supply allocation, now up to 40%.
On September 6, the World Processing Tomato Council (WPTC) released an update on expected volumes throughout the world. In June, the WPTC reported global production to be a record 52.1 million short tons and have since slightly revised this number to 50.9 million short tons. This reduction is largely driven by Iran, which decreased their estimate by approximately 35% from 2.1 million tons to 1.55 million tons due to very high temperatures in the southern part of the country. Some temperatures have reportedly reached 113 degrees Fahrenheit, which has impacted yield and quality. Last year, Iran processed 2.2 million short tons of tomatoes, which made up 4.5% of total world production and they were the sixth highest producing country.
Farmers across Europe began protesting in late 2023 and continued into 2024, primarily driven by the stricter environmental regulations imposed by the reformed Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), compounded by economic uncertainties, and trade policies that favor cheaper imports from non-European countries. In a nutshell, CAP sets guidelines for farming in Europe, provides farmers financial support, ensures an affordable food supply for European consumers, and supports rural development. CAP makes up about 30 to 40 percent of the total EU budget, whereas the U.S. Farm Bill, a similar policy in the U.S., accounts for 2 to 3 percent of the federal budget.
At Morning Star, we believe that optimizing your food manufacturing operation isn’t just a convenience—it’s the key to long-term success. Efficiency in production is a vital component in driving growth and staying ahead in a competitive market.
Meet Daren Cliff, one of Morning Star’s newest and dynamic team members. Daren joined us in 2024, bringing a wealth of experience and a fresh perspective to our enterprise. His mission here is clear and ambitious: to achieve our sales objectives while meeting our enterprise goals.
Morning Star colleague Aaron Giampietro is back with another TOMATO BITES by Morning Star update. California is experiencing an intense start to the 2024 processing season, with two consecutive heatwaves in July. The state’s diverse microclimates present unique challenges and opportunities for crop growth. These heatwaves have accelerated fruit maturation for early harvests, but also pose risks to later crops. The impact on yields and quality remains to be seen, but California’s robust 2023 performance and solid water reserves offer a measure of stability amidst these climatic challenges.
During the 15th World Processing Tomato Congress in June 2024, Chris Rufer of The Morning Star Company discussed his views on future innovations in tomato processing. He addressed several topics such as the future of processing tomato seeds, transplanting, harvesting, and hauling, grower contracting, raw tomato pricing, labor and talent development, climate change, government regulations, sustainability, the possibility of new countries entering the processing tomato industry, and the future role of AI.
Join Aaron Giampietro as he dives into the USDA NASS’s latest processing tomato report, revealing key insights and forecast adjustments. Discover how California’s farmers are boosting groundwater replenishment, the latest on contract pricing for conventional and organic tomatoes, and how shifts in energy dynamics are impacting the industry.
Land availability is one of the significant challenges that the processing tomato industry faces. Pressure from permanent crops, alternate row crops, and the spread of soil-borne disease in the ‘tired soils’ near the factories have forced processors to source increasing volumes from fields that are further away from their factories. This, coupled with regulations in crop protection, water usage, and rising labor costs, creates a challenging production environment for both experienced and new growers alike.
Tomato planting in California for the 2024 season is nearing completion. Despite mild interruptions due to weather, most tomato growers have managed to plant fairly close to schedule. It has been fortunate for California tomato growers to not have to worry about severe weather conditions this planting season because there are other areas that require their focus.
The World Processing Tomato Council reported that, as of May 17, projections for the 2024 crop should exceed 2023’s production of 44.2 million mT. With China and California expecting crops of 10.5 and 11 million mT respectively, the accuracy of those projections could impact the final production for 2024. Other notable regions with significant output are Italy with 5.6 million mT, Spain with 2.8 million mT, Turkey with 2.7 million mT, and Iran with 1.9 million mT. Planting has now officially begun in the Northern Hemisphere; however, rain and adverse weather in Europe have caused some significant delays.
