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Food: why do some tomatoes cost much more than others?
Tomato prices often show large price differences depending on the variety. Why such a gap? France Télévisions reveals behind the scenes.
(France 2)
Tomato prices often show large price differences depending on the variety. Why such a gap? France Télévisions reveals behind the scenes.
Cluster, cherry, cocktail, or even beef heart, the varieties of tomatoes are as numerous as the prices on the stalls. In the same market, tomatoes are sold from 4.50 euros per kilo to 10.80 euros per kilo. And it’s not really easy for consumers to navigate. How to explain such a price difference? France Télévisions carried out the investigation.
On a farm in the Nantes region, cherry tomatoes and ribbed tomatoes are grown. These grow in the same conditions: in a greenhouse and in rock wool. However, their production costs are not the same. Because picking by hand does not require the same amount of labor. Cherry tomatoes are more expensive to pick, for a lower yield: “For the ribbed tomato you need around 50 kilos per square meter, while for a cherry tomato you need 30 maximum”explains Anthony Lafage, producer at Serres du Fréty.
