According to figures collected by PTAB, the California’s 2023 processing tomato harvest tonnage for the week seven (ending August 26th) is estimated to deliver 885,026 t (metric tonnes) (975,574 short tons) to the factories.
Local sources explain that “drop off on week seven is likely caused by the tropical storm California experienced on Sunday August 20th. As it worked its way across southern California some of the southern tomato growing regions received rain totals of more than 1 inch (25 mm) of rain. This has caused some factories to slow down until the fields dry out.”
Week eight (ending September 2nd) is estimated to be 997,134 t (1,099,152 short tons) which would bring the year-to-date total to an estimated 4,997,501 t (5,508,802 short tons).
For actual tonnes delivered (3.115 million t) through week six, California is tracking above (+7%) the five year average (2.9 million t).
The 2023 California Organic processing tomato deliveries for the week six (ending August 19th) were 54,507 t (60,089 short tons). The total tons YTD for week six is 389,646 t (429,511 short tons), or 13% of the actual total delivered quantities.
Organic farming was delayed by rains during spring planting, but the current total is already the second largest in the history of California organic production. Provisional total is 4% higher than in 2022 on the same date and 4% higher than the average quantity processed during past three seasons at this time.
If the weekly projections come true, the projected quantities on September 2 would represent approximately 39% of the California processors' target. (10.89 million t).
Sources: PTAB, CLFP, Westconfoods
