A tomato oversupply in the Paraguayan market is causing concern among producers about a possible sharp drop in prices. The combination of an early maturation of crops, due to weather conditions in recent weeks, and the expansion of planting areas to other departments has resulted in a production volume that exceeds the country's usual consumption.
Rubén de los Ríos, regional director of the National Service for Plant and Seed Quality and Health (SENAVE), explained that the heat accelerated the product's maturation and that the recent cold period helped to balance the development a bit more. However, the current supply already exceeds national consumption capacity.
Francisco Daniel Meza, president of the National Union of Fruit and Vegetable Producers, stated that, despite the increase in production, tomatoes are still being sold at prices considered favorable, between G. 7,000 and G. 8,000 per kilogram. He warned, however, that the volume produced is already considerably higher than the average consumption and that, if the harvest pace continues, prices could fall.
In this context, tomato smuggling gains relevance, although sector representatives consider a massive entry of foreign product unlikely, since prices in Argentina and Brazil are at levels similar to those in Paraguay. Still, SENAVE continues to provide technical support to the DNIT (Paraguay's tax and customs authority) in controls to combat the irregular entry of fruit and vegetable products.
Meza also mentioned having received threats for insisting on strengthening controls against smuggling, highlighting that defending national production requires both effective oversight and conditions to move the entire harvest to the domestic market.
Producers hope the supply will balance in the coming weeks to avoid an abrupt devaluation. Meanwhile, SENAVE maintains technical monitoring and oversight of the sector's production and commercial situation.