The tomato types buyers ask about
Tomatoes look simple, but a buyer can mean very different things by the word. These are the types we are asked about most often.
Round tomatoes
The everyday tomato for slicing and salads. Buyers usually specify a size range and a colour stage, and both matter more than people expect.
Cherry tomatoes
Small and sweet, often sold in punnets and baskets. They are picked in clusters or one by one, which makes the work slower and the price different.
Plum tomatoes
Longer, firmer and meatier, and a good choice for cooking and for processing.
Truss tomatoes and specialty types
Tomatoes sold on the vine, and coloured types for shops that want something a little different. Ask us what is available in the season you are interested in.
How they are grown
Tomatoes love warmth and light. A large share of Morocco's winter and spring production is grown in greenhouses in the south of the country, where it stays mild when other places are cold, and the warmer months bring field-grown fruit. The plants grow tall along strings and the fruit is picked by hand, bunch after bunch, over many weeks.
When the season runs
The main season is generally from October to May, with the biggest volumes in the middle of winter. The exact dates change a little each year with the weather.
Picking and keeping
The colour of the fruit at harvest depends on the journey. Tomatoes that have to travel far are picked just as they begin to turn, so that they arrive at their best, while fruit for nearby markets can stay longer on the plant and be fuller in colour.
Once picked, tomatoes should be kept at around 10 to 12 degrees. A cold fridge is not a friend of the tomato: below about 10 degrees it loses flavour and firmness.
Packing
Tomatoes are usually packed loose in cartons, in trays, or in punnets and baskets for retail, depending on the type. We can discuss the format that suits your customers, including private label.
You can read our buyer's guide to tomatoes, see the tomatoes in our catalogue, or ask us for a quote.
