Processing tomato farmers in California are expected to reduce production this year after a big crop in 2023 and a softening in demand, an agriculture organization is reporting.

The state’s tomato canners planned to contract for 11.6 million tons this year, down about 10% from the 12.9 million tons they contracted for last year, according to the California Farm Bureau.

The bureau cites USDA statistics projecting a drop in planted acreage from 255,000 last year to 232,000 this year, with growers aiming to produce 50 tons per acre.

Last year’s wet winter replenished water supplies, enabling tomato growers to produce their largest crop in several years to take advantage of record prices paid by processors looking to bolster inventory, the CFB notes.

But demand is softening, prompting growers to scale back their acreage, the organization observes.

Source: California Farm Bureau