AMITOM COUNTRIES

EGYPT
We are in the peak of the summer season and processing in full capacity, quality is very good and yield as well. The forecast remains the same as reported last time.

FRANCE
The weather has fortunately been getting better over the last few days with hot temperatures, especially in the South-East, and also with the famous wind called “Mistral”. But anyway, because of the last weather with rains nearly each evening, in some fields we observed late blight and bacteriosis, and it is not really stopped yet. It is a little bit too early in the season to fight these diseases easily during next months if the climate is not going to reach a real summer… cross the fingers. The forecast should now be more 150.000 tonnes than 160.000 tonnes and it seems that we will harvest around the 22-24 July in South-East for the very early ones and around 10 August in South-West. But please, give us Sun and “normal” temperatures…

GREECE
There is not much to report. The temperatures are good at 30-33°C. Fields have been treated to prevent diseases following the rains. So far it is not a major issue. The adverse weather will delay the start of the harvest to the end of July.

HUNGARY
The yearly forecast remains unchanged at 100,000 tonnes. Plants developed well; their populations are uniform thanks to the balanced weather. Last three months there was more precipitation than in recent years. First plant pathological symptoms appeared mid-June, but the protection was done well everywhere. On 23 June, there was a big storm in the country with heavy hail in some places but only one tomato field was affected with a significant damage.

IRAN
The harvest will finish this week in the south. In the main region, the harvest will mainly start mid-July, but some factories are already working. So far, the outlook is good with good quality. The only major issue is the water availability mainly in the south which could reduce the size of the crop compared with last year.

ITALY
In the North, transplanting operation have been concluded around 18-20 June in the western area. In the last two weeks the weather has returned back to normal and the crops seem to show a better situation. There is about one week delay compared last year and there is a certain worrying situation regarding the first 30% of early crop fields that probably will ripen at the same time.
Furthermore, a significant part of the crop will be harvested in September with much uncertainty about weather consistency. The total surface planted at the end of June and a survey regarding the damaged crops for the floods, will be available within the middle of July. No change in the forecast at this stage.
In the South, there is no change in the forecast. Planting was delayed but is now finished. It is expected that the crop will be delayed and there are concerns about early yields due to the rains. Half of the crop is expected to be harvested in September (normally about 30% that month). 

PORTUGAL 
The weather continues to be good, with quite high temperatures up to 40°C in some regions but now 35-36°C. Temperatures are dropping at night which is good. Humidity is a bit high so there is some concern that this could create the right conditions for mildew. High temperatures could have affected the fields over the flowering which we cannot know the consequences yet. The harvest should start during the second half of July. No change in the forecast.

RUSSIA
The forecast remains unchanged at 670.000 tonnes.

SPAIN
The situation is similar to Portugal with quite high temperatures of circa 40°C expected for another two days which could have an impact on the flowering. The harvest should start around 20-25 July in Extremadura, and only a bit before in Andalusia (c.15 July probably) where surfaces have been reduced and the season will be more concentrated. No change in the overall forecast.

TURKEY 
The weather has now improved after some rains, including some heavy ones in the Bursa region. The crop is developing nicely but is being monitored closely for diseases following the cool and rainy weather. The start of the harvest should be delayed with the south only stating at the end of July so September will be busy.

TUNISIA
The campaign started on June 20 in 4 of the 25 factories but will be interrupted for a few days this week for the Eid holiday. To date, 19,000 tonnes have been processed out of the 500,000 tonnes expected, including 470,000 tonnes for paste production. The water situation remains worrying, with 847 million m3 in 36 dams (representing 36% of their filling capacity).