Tomatoes in short supply this winter

Months of low light levels, along with last year's crop failures are resulting in a shortage of tomatoes. Photo / Pixabay

RNZ

Tomatoes are set to be in short supply this winter.

Months of low light levels, coupled with last year’s crop failures, were being blamed for the shortage.

Jerry Prendergast from MG Produce Group said autumn has started with a tight supply.

“Probably greater than the past year’s gone by, really short,” he said.

“I think that we’re not going to see any reprieve from this now through til September.”

Prendergast said crop failures last year had made it difficult to get back into the planting cycle.

“It takes quite some time for those growers to get those planting programs back in place, and all of that has hit us early in the season, the winter season crop.”

He said much of the supply was being imported, but the problem was that Australia was also facing crop shortages.

- RNZ