Portuguese 2023 export figures show a significant drop in the volume of foreign sales of pastes, the most important category for the Portuguese industry, although sales revenue continues to grow.
General information on the various categories
In contrast to the sauces sector, whose exports over the last two years have maintained the remarkable levels achieved in 2020 and 2021, Portuguese foreign sales of tomato pastes, and to a lesser extent canned tomatoes, have seen serious declines in recent years.
The most notable example is the Portuguese industry's flagship product, tomato pastes (codes 200290...), whose exports have for several years absorbed the equivalent of 1.4 to 1.5 million tonnes of tomato raw material. In terms of finished products, the Portuguese sector exported just over 218,000 tonnes of pastes of various categories (see additional information at the end of this article) over the period January-December 2023, a performance that is 21% lower than the result of (calendar) year 2022 and also 21% below the average of the previous three years (276,000 tonnes over the period 2020-2022). The 2023 result is also 16% down on pre-Covid activity levels (261,000 tonnes over the 2017-2019 period).
Foreign sales of canned tomatoes (codes 200210...), for which Portugal ranks fifth worldwide, also fell sharply in 2023, with just under 36,000 tonnes exported last year, compared with 47,200 tonnes exported in 2022 and an average of around 42,000 tonnes over the previous three years.
Most of this decline is attributable to the sharp drop in UK purchases, from an average of 18,000 tonnes over the last three years (and as much as 21,000 tonnes in 2022) to just 11,400 tonnes in 2023. Other European countries such as France, the Netherlands, Italy and Sweden have also reduced their imports of Portuguese canned tomatoes.
Figures collected by Trade Data Monitor on the basis of customs declarations by Portuguese manufacturers, on the other hand, confirm the sharp rise in exports of sauces & ketchup from 2021 (see related articles below). While growth has been less explosive over the last two years, export quantities have continued to increase, reaching by 2023 double the volumes (over 71,000 tonnes) of 2019 or 2018 (around 35,000 tonnes). With these trade flows being highly focused on European markets, increased purchases from the UK, Norway and the Netherlands have been the key factors behind the jump in Portuguese sauce sales.
The tomato paste sector
Exports of canned tomatoes and sauces & ketchup are almost entirely (95% on average over the last five years) destined for European countries. With "only" 79% of trade being focused on European markets, the tomato paste sector is the one whose exports are least focused on Europe.
The United Kingdom is the main outlet for Portuguese tomato pastes, accounting for 21% of total annual volumes over the 2019-2023 period. Japan is the second-largest market served by the Portuguese industry, with 12% of annual export volumes, and the only non-European country among the top nine purchasers of Portuguese pastes. Germany and Spain are virtually on an equal footing, accounting for around 11% of exports, ahead of Italy (6%), France (5%), Belgium, Sweden and Poland. Saudi Arabia, the leading non-European buyer of Portuguese tomato products, has accounted for less than 2% of total quantities over the last five years.
Significant changes have taken place over this five-year period. 2020 was a record year for Portuguese paste exports, with a total of almost 290,000 tonnes, mainly in the 20029091 and 20029031 category segments. In the years that followed, volumes eroded irregularly, leading to a drastic drop (-70,800 tonnes) in foreign sales. Between 2020 and 2023, the biggest declines were recorded on the British (-43,000 t), Italian (-16,300 t), Polish (-6,200 t), Spanish (-4,400 t), Saudi Arabian and French markets. The few increases, including Germany (+10,700 t), the Netherlands (+5,100 t), Serbia and Japan, were insufficient to offset these effects.
Total value of Portuguese exports of tomato products
In 2023, total sales generated by Portuguese exports of tomato products amounted to EUR 477 million, or around USD 515 million. Over the period 2021-2023, more than three-quarters of this amount came from the export of pastes, 17% from foreign sales of sauces and 7% from canned tomatoes. In comparison, exports of pastes generated nearly 86% of total sales (EUR 217 million) in 2013-2015, with sauces and canned tomatoes accounting for 9% and 5% respectively.
Some complementary data
Evolution and qualitative distribution of Portuguese exports of tomato pastes (codes 200290...).
Evolution and regional distribution of Portuguese exports of canned tomatoes.
Source: TDM
