Tomato price hikes to drop by November

The Egyptian market has witnessed leaps in the prices of tomatoes since the start of 2024, increasing by 400 percent to stand at EGP 25 per 1 kg, up from EGP 5 per 1 kg in January.

According to Abu Saddam, the price hike is due to several factors, including increasing costs, inflation, high temperature, and decreased cultivated area of tomatoes. 

Many farmers have resorted to planting other more profitable crops, such as cucumbers, corn, and rice, due to losses they endured in previous years as prices of tomatoes were lower than their cost, he added.

The decline in prices happened due to the overlap of most governorates' growing seasons and maturity, Abu Saddam explained.

He also stated that global tensions affected transport and production supplies, resulting in higher costs, noting that Egypt imports 100 percent of tomato seeds, agricultural machines, and pesticides.

"We are in the intersection of the growing season, upper Egypt growing tomato while Lower Egypt finishes from planting it,” he said.

The farmers union head told Ahram Online that demand for tomatoes increases during summer, adding that they are used in many ways, including cooking and drying for export.  

He suggested that the government support farmers and provide local seeds fertilizer and pesticides.

Reasons for expected price decline
 

In this respect, Abu Saddam told Ahram Online that demand for vegetables and tomatoes decreases during winter while the production of crops increases.

He noted that Egypt’s total production of tomatoes reached 6.5 million tons. 

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Egypt ranked first in tomato production among African countries, while it ranked fourth in the Arab tomato exporting countries during 2023, recording $ 53.2 million, according to data from the World’s Top Exports.