A clear consumer retail preference for vine-ripened tomatoes after the March 2020 COVID lockdown is one finding of a study by the Department of Agricultural & Resource Economics at the University of Arizona.
The research project, according to the release, provides insight to changes in the fresh tomato market including shipment volumes, shipping point prices, and retail prices.
The project also includes how supply and demand trends were affected during the year of 2020 during the peak of pandemic shutdowns when the foodservice industry was heavily affected, according to the release.
The Fresh Produce Association of the Americas is sharing the information gathered through the research project, which was commissioned by FPAA, according to the release.
A presentation will be available during the FPAA’s Tomato Week to review the collected information. To register for the March 11 Tomato Week event where researchers will present findings and answer questions about what the data reveals and their process, visit this link.
