POMODORO Operational Group: Advanced and sustainable production to increase the value of industrial tomatoes in Extremadura, Andalusia and Murcia.
- Type Operational group
- Status In progress
- Execution 2024 -2027
- Assigned Budget 599.540,63 €
- Scope Supraautonómico
- Autonomous community Andalucía; Extremadura; Murcia, Región de
- Main source of financing CAP 2023-2027
- Project website GO POMODORO
POMODORO is a Supra-regional Operational Group working to achieve advanced and sustainable production that will increase the value of industrial tomatoes.
The project aims to transfer innovative agricultural technologies and techniques with a high social and environmental impact, leading a robust technology transfer to processing tomato producers. The objective is to promote more sustainable water and soil management to achieve comprehensive adaptation of the value chain to the climatic, economic, and social realities of the 21st century.
Development of 3 experimental platforms (EPs) in 3 regions: Extremadura, Andalusia and Murcia, in each of which an experimental platform will be developed with a different objective, to serve as demonstration tools for the development of outreach and training actions.
In Spain, droughts are cyclical phenomena; however, the general increase in temperatures as a consequence of global warming is causing longer and more intense periods without rain than usual in recent years. This generates substantial losses in the agricultural sector and forces government agencies to establish restrictive measures regarding water use. Therefore, improving water use efficiency in agriculture is essential. Processing tomatoes represent a specialized activity primarily developed in Extremadura and Andalusia. It is a stable and growing sector that occupies large rural areas and supports not only a high percentage of Spanish agriculture but also a long-term value chain, including the industry of sauces based on natural tomatoes and the export sector of these products.
In 2022, due to weather conditions, 2.1 billion kilos of tomatoes were processed, representing a 34% decrease compared to 2021. However, the global tomato processing industry maintains stable growth in volume, with 37.257 billion kilos processed. Specifically, in terms of revenue, high-quality tomato sauce (homemade type, as opposed to concentrated tomato sauce) is the fastest-growing market, having seen the greatest increase in sales over the last 10 years due to its numerous applications in the food industry. This market advantage for farmers cannot be overlooked in a country like Spain, which accounts for an average of 10% of global production. Therefore, it is essential to take action to improve yields and the quality of this product at the national level.
- To increase the quality of processing tomatoes through the development of innovative, advanced agricultural techniques for irrigation and nutrition management, as well as for comprehensive crop management. This significantly increases the economic, industrial, and nutritional value of processing tomatoes, thus optimizing fruit quality.
- Increasing the sustainability of the entire production chain through optimized resource use and reduced water footprint, as well as minimized energy consumption. This contributes to reduced inputs and increased yields, leading to improved profitability and a lower environmental impact for the production process.
- Improving producers' position in the value chain by ensuring their economic sustainability, competitiveness, and financial performance will enhance the sector's social sustainability through increased economic attractiveness. This objective aims to curb agricultural abandonment and guarantee the continued existence and quality of life for farmers and future generations in rural areas.
- Transferring and disseminating knowledge to promote the adoption of newly developed technologies and ensure their effective application in the industrial tomato sector. This fosters increased profitability and sustainability within the sector and enhances its social, economic, and environmental impact.
The main expected results are to achieve higher profitability in tomato production for industry and for farmers, and to optimize those costs and factors that can be acted upon: water consumption, energy, and improved use of fertilizers.
In particular, other results/findings:
- Design criteria for very high efficiency precision irrigation systems applied to the cultivation of industrial tomatoes conditioned by a limited availability and quality of water.
- A digital tool to support producers' decision-making, enabling them to establish safe, sustainable, and effective agricultural practices.
- Case study of experimental platforms defining the specific problems of the sector and the producers, the solutions proposed and the results obtained.
- Impact report of implemented agricultural practices.
- Report on needs and barriers perceived by producers and new farmers that limit their sustainability.
- Guide to strategies and business models based on the productive model proposed by POMODORO to solve perceived barriers.
- Promote the widespread use of agricultural techniques to increase the value of processing tomatoes, the final quality of the product and the sustainability of the sector and its production chain through the transfer of results by promoting opportunities in the sector with special emphasis among the young community.
- Coordinator/Entity Name: APAG EXTREMADURA YOUNG FARMERS AND LIVESTOCK BROTHERS
- Postal address: AV. PORTUGAL PG. CEPANSA, Badajoz
- Email coordinator/entity: central@apagextremadura.com
- Telephone: 924389386
Key recommendations for professionals involved are: The added value for the end user in the processing industry is the reduction of the tomato deficit in the field relative to industrial demand, ensuring stable, high-quality production and controlled supply. Secondly, farmers will benefit from cost and resource savings (water, fertilizers) thanks to the innovative subsurface irrigation system and improved agronomic practices. This will also lead to increased productivity and profitability for farmers, as well as fostering agricultural entrepreneurship in the sector. Furthermore, it will improve logistical organization, disseminate best practices from Extremadura to the rest of the country, enhance producers' position, and generate employment.
- APAG EXTREMADURA JOVENES AGRICULTORES Y GANADEROS
- APAG EXTREMADURA ASAJA
- CEBAS – CSIC (Centro de Edafología y Biología Aplicada del Segura – Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas)
- SISTEMA AZUD, S.A.
- TEPRO CONSULTORES AGRÍCOLAS, S.L.
- TEPRO EXTREMADURA, S.L.
- HIDA ALIMENTACIÓN, S.A.
- EVERGRANT GESTIÓN DE PROYECTOS, S.L.
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