Top Fresh Tomato Countries
China, EU and US Produce Almost Half of Green Tomato Global Crop
While California generates almost half of the world's processed tomatoes, China farms the most fresh tomatoes.
Considered by many as the world’s most popular fruit, tomatoes are to be considered vegetables, according to a U.S. Supreme Court ruling in 1893.
According to the California Tomato Growers Association, the average American eats almost 80 pounds of tomatoes annually.
Fresh tomatoes are picked early when they are green and full of juice. In contrast, processed tomatoes are vine-ripened and machine-harvested when they are red in colour.
Tomatoes can be grown in a wide range of climates and in most types of soil.
Top Fresh Tomato Producers
The six territories listed below grew about 70% of the global tomato crop in 2005 (123.5 million metric tons).
- China … 30.9 million metric tons (25% of global tomato production)
- European Union countries … 18.5 million metric tons (15%)
- United States … 10.9 million metric tons (8.8%)
- Turkey … 10.1 million metric tons (8.1%)
- Egypt … 7.8 million metric tons (6.3%)
- India … 7.7 million metric tons (6.2%)
Top Ten Fresh Tomato Exporters
In 2004, the following nations exported the most tomatoes by weight.
- Spain … 1.02 million metric tons (25% of top ten total)
- Mexico … 895.1 thousand metric tons (21.9%)
- Netherlands … 771.8 thousand metric tons (18.9%)
- Syrian Arab Republic … 260 thousand metric tons (6.4%)
- Jordan … 237.9 thousand metric tons (5.8%)
- Turkey … 235.4 thousand metric tons (5.8%)
- United States … 212.3 thousand metric tons (5.2%)
- Belgium … 204.5 thousand metric tons (5%)
- Canada … 137.2 thousand metric tons (3.4%)
- Morocco … 107.4 thousand metric tons (2.6%).
China exported 82,876 metric tons of fresh tomatoes in 2004.
In terms of unit prices per metric ton, Canada (US$1,982), Netherlands ($1,255), the U.S. ($1,102) and Belgium ($1,087) garnered the highest dollar values for tomato exports.
Tomatoes from Syria (US$110), Jordan ($315), Turkey ($466) and Morocco ($559) dictated lower prices on the world market in 2004. Spain and Mexico enjoyed average prices from $950 to $1,016.
Top Ten Fresh Tomato Importers
The following countries imported the most fresh tomatoes by weight in 2004.
- United States … 932 thousand metric tons (27.1% of top ten total)
- Germany … 660.8 thousand metric tons (19.2%)
- France … 434.3 thousand metric tons (12.6%)
- United Kingdom … 386.4 thousand metric tons (11.2%)
- Russia … 291.4 thousand metric tons (8.5%)
- Saudi Arabia … 215.5 thousand metric tons (6.3%)
- Netherlands … 174.8 thousand metric tons (5.1%)
- Canada … 174.2 thousand metric tons (5.1%)
- United Arab Emirates … 90.8 thousand metric tons (2.6%)
- Italy … 84.9 thousand metric tons (2.5%)
China imports relatively few tomatoes, and ranks well below the top 20 tomato importers.
The United Kingdom ($1,490 per metric ton), United States ($1,209), Netherlands ($1,193) and Canada ($1,145) paid the highest unit prices for imported tomatoes. Saudi Arabia ($125) and the United Arab Emirates ($337) paid the lowest unit prices. In fact, both countries spent significantly less for their fresh tomato imports than other countries on the list, with the exception of Russia ($479).
References
This article presents independent calculations and insights based on key statistics from the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (fao.org) and the California Tomato Growers Association site (ctga.org).
