According to data from the WPTC (World Processing Tomato Council), the global tomato processing volume¹ in 2024 is expected to reach 47,448 thousand tons, a 7% increase from 44,416 thousand tons in 2023. This indicates that the global tomato paste industry² is steadily developing, especially driven by the main production regions.

Global tomato paste trade is steadily expanding. China, Italy, and California (USA) are the main production and export countries, while Europe, the Middle East, and emerging markets are key consumption regions. Against the backdrop of stable global demand growth, health, environmental sustainability, and technological innovation will become the core drivers of future industry development.

This marks that the global tomato paste industry will continue to remain vibrant, while exploring more sustainable and efficient production and trade models.

Tomato Paste Leads Trade Growth

In the global tomato products trade, tomato paste is the main driver of overall growth. In the 2023/2024 period, global tomato paste exports reached approximately 4 million tons, a year-on-year increase of 6.5%, with the top 12 processing and exporting countries contributing 93% of the trade volume.

• Tomato Paste Consumption: Global consumption was 3.9 million tons, with 3.6 million tons coming from major exporting countries.
• Major Exporting Countries:
  • China: 1.2 million tons (+7.6%)
  • Italy: 790,000 tons (+49,000 tons)
  • USA: 380,000 tons (+67,000 tons)
  • Iran: 290,000 tons (+115,000 tons)
  • Spain: 280,000 tons (decrease of 47,000 tons)

Major Consumption Markets

The four main consumption regions account for two-thirds of tomato paste trade volume:

• Western Europe: 1.1 million tons, stable consumption.
• Middle East: 610,000 tons, a 27% year-on-year growth.
• West Africa: 350,000 tons, a 28% year-on-year growth.
• Far East: 300,000 tons, demand steadily increasing.

In addition, markets in Mediterranean Africa, Central America, and Australia-New Zealand also saw growth, while markets in Eurasia, Southern Africa, and Eastern Europe experienced a decline.

Exporting Country Performance Differences

• Countries with Significant Growth:

  • Iran: Significant export growth, primarily in the Middle East, West Africa, and Eastern Europe markets.
  • China: Strong export growth in the Middle East and West Africa, with an increase of 85,000 tons.
  • USA and Italy: Continued growth driven by stable demand from Western Europe and the Far East, with exports increasing by 67,000 tons and 49,000 tons respectively.

• Countries with Declining Exports:

  • Spain: Exports decreased by 47,000 tons.
  • Portugal: Exports decreased by 21,000 tons.
  • Turkey: Exports decreased by 56,000 tons, mainly due to declining competitiveness and shifting market demand.

Trade Value Hits Record High

Against the backdrop of global inflation, the total value of tomato product exports in the 2023/2024 period reached approximately $10.7 billion, a 12% year-on-year increase, and a 31% increase compared to the average levels from 2020-2023.

• Italian processors account for 35% of global export value, followed by China (12%), the USA (8%), Spain (8%), and Portugal (5%).

Future Trends and Challenges

Despite the continued growth in trade volume and value, global tomato product trade faces the following challenges:

• Intensifying International Competition: Price wars among exporting countries are affecting the performance of some nations.
• Market Segmentation: Mature markets like Western Europe and the Far East are seeing slow growth, while emerging markets such as the Middle East and West Africa are showing strong performance.
• Climate Change and Production Instability: Supply chains remain affected by extreme weather.

Conclusion

The global tomato products trade in 2023/2024 shows an upward trend, with tomato paste continuing to dominate trade growth. The strong demand from the Middle East and West Africa markets³ plays a significant role in driving this growth. Major exporting countries such as China, Italy, and the USA are steadily expanding their market share by optimizing market layouts amidst fierce international competition.