Tomatoes - competitiveness of the French industry and international growth of the market
Fourel, A.
Infos Paris 81: 21-26
1992
Document Number: 264860
Tomatoes rank highest among the vegetables consumed in France, and are available all year round owing to protected cultivation and imports. The latter, which total 300 000 t/year, account for half the domestic market. Despite a slight rise, exports from France remain at a modest level, especially in comparison to the enormous quantities purchased by northern European countries. The French weakness stems essentially from its fragmented supply in the face of increasingly concentrated demand. It may also be attributed to the fact that competing suppliers derive their strength from sound production and marketing infrastructure, or from more favourable climatic and economic conditions, or from a combination of the two. Despite certain competitive assets and an ability to adapt rapidly to consumer and distributor requirements, the French industry still has a long way to go.