Each summer millions of tonnes of tomatoes are harvested from Italian fields for processing. We follow these savoury proceedings
Tomatoes for canning as whole fruits, chopped, or as puree, is a huge business, with official figures pointing to global volumes of around 37 million tonnes. Some 10 to 11 million tonnes are harvested in California, which with 110,000ha is the world’s largest producer. The World Processing Tomato Council estimates European outdoor tomato output to be around 17 million tonnes this season, of which 4.8 million tonnes will come from Italy.
