Understanding the Tomato Landscape: Our annual review of the forces influencing California and global processing tomatoes.
Part 1: Raw Material Supply Chain & Tomato Variety Trialing
Each year, we step back from day-to-day crop execution to look at the broader forces shaping the processing tomato industry. This annual long-format video series is designed to provide that perspective—bringing together insights from across the supply chain to better understand how recent seasons fit into larger industry cycles. Released as a three-part series, each installment focuses on a key theme influencing today’s tomato landscape. New episodes will be released weekly, beginning February 3 with Part 1, offering a structured look at where the industry has been, where it stands today, and the dynamics influencing what comes next.
In this first section, we step back to examine the raw material side of the processing tomato industry and how the past season fits into a broader adjustment cycle. After record production in 2024 and 2025, inventories of processed tomato products remain elevated, leading to fewer tomato acres as the industry works to rebalance supply. While tomatoes continue to be one of the more reliable options for growers, overall farm conditions remain constrained, shaped by limited alternatives, ongoing labor challenges, and a cost environment that has stabilized but remains influential in decision-making. Within this context, variety development and trialing have become even more critical, with greater focus on balance, consistency, and performance under real-world conditions. Rather than letting a single season drive strategy, the emphasis remains on strengthening the raw material foundation through disciplined trialing and varieties that can perform reliably as conditions continue to evolve.
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