It is the undisputed star of salads, a key ingredient in pantries all over the world, which stands out for its flavour and great variety. A fresh, natural, sustainable and healthy product that has become an ambassador for Spain since our sailors brought it back from their first voyages to the Indies. Because for centuries, generation after generation of farmers have made the tomato the main character of Spanish cuisine.
Tomatoes will be the ‘Star Product’ of the 17th edition of Fruit Attraction, the great international showcase for fruit and vegetables which, organised by IFEMA MADRID and FEPEX, will be held in Madrid from 30th September to 2nd October. This will be the largest edition of the fair, with an increase in surface area, exhibitors, companies and countries, a sign of the strength and importance of the fruit and vegetable industry in Spain and the rest of the world.
The choice of tomato as the star product is aimed at highlighting the great work of the Spanish production and marketing industry. It also coincides with a key moment, given the current geopolitical situation and the increasing competition from countries outside the European Union.
The tomato is the most widely consumed vegetable in the world. In Spain, it represents 24.23% of fresh vegetable consumption in homes, with an average of 12 kg per person per year at home and 2 kg outside the home. In 2024 alone, consumption grew by 6.25% compared to the previous year, driven by variety diversification and consumers’ commitment to healthier diets.
Tomato cultivation is present throughout Spain, with Andalusia, Murcia, Valencia and the Canary Islands being the main producing regions, with a total of 20,800 hectares of tomato cultivated for fresh consumption and 1,649,000 tonnes (2024). The Spanish tomato industry is characterised by its export orientation with 675,000 tonnes worth €1.1 billion, its main markets being Germany, France, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands.
Tomatoes are a key ingredient in the Mediterranean Diet. They are high in lycopene, antioxidants, vitamins A and C, fibre and water and low in calories. Their nutritional profile makes them an interesting option within a varied and balanced diet, in line with the recommendations of the World Health Organisation, which recommends consuming at least 430 grams per day.
Activities programme (full programme here)
Fruit Attraction 2025 has designed an extensive programme of activities to highlight tomatoes through innovation, knowledge and promotion. These include the installation of a greenhouse vegetable garden with different commercial types of tomato (vine, salad, ribbed, pink, pear, black or cherry), which will be located in the #alimentosdespaña Square.
Similarly, a meeting has been planned between the main tomato-producing countries in the European Union, which will present a joint manifesto in defence of agricultural production originating in the member countries, facing the strong and unequal competition with countries outside the EU.
Knowledge and debate
The Tomato Attraction Forum will be attended by the European Commission’s Managing Direction for Agriculture and Rural Development, who will present an interesting tool for the producer and marketing industry, the tomato dashboard. It includes monthly price and trade data as well as annual production volumes. This system enables farmers to track tomato farming, create prescription maps and monitor crop health through satellite imagery and records of crop operations. This space for knowledge, analysis and debate will also feature two round tables, which will shed light on the ‘Geopolitical Implications of the Tomato Trade’ and on ‘Trends, Key Players and Market Dynamics’. The Spanish Seed Breeders’ Association (ANOVE, Asociación Nacional de Obtentores Vegetales) will also give a talk on the ‘Contributions of Variety Improvement in Tomatoes’.
Acknowledgements
On 1 October, the 2025 Tomato Awards will be presented at the institutional stand of the Andalusian Regional Government, which will recognise key figures in the development of tomato production in Spain, with a long track record, as well as companies, organisations and the media, whose work contributes to adding value to this product. The ‘FoTomate Call’, installed in halls 7 and 9, will provide a fun atmosphere and enable interaction via social media.
During the 3 days of the fair, samplings of different types of tomato (Long-life, Plum, Black, Pink, Ribbed, Salad, etc.) will be offered in the Buyer Lounge and at different points in halls 7 and 9. Along the same lines, Factoría Chef will host show-cookings by different chefs. Moreover, the Association of Fruit and Vegetable Exporters and Producers of the Region of Murcia will be holding a festival focused on Spanish tomatoes.
This initiative is possible thanks to the coordination of the Association of Fruit and Vegetable Producers’ Organisations of Almeria (COEXPHAL), in collaboration with the Tomato Industry Committee of FEPEX and some fifteen companies and organisations: Gusto del Sur – Regional Ministry of Agriculture of the Regional Government of Andalusia, Proexport, Cajamar, CASI, Grupo Paloma, Vicasol, La Palma, Biosabor, Loojie, BASF Nunhems, Rijk Zwaan, HM Clause, Fitó, Enza Zaden and Yuksel Seeds.
Fonte: Fruit Attraction
