THE TECHNOLOGICAL OBSERVATORY FOR THE TOMATO INDUSTRY

Ana M. Espejo1, Pilar García-Pérez1, Celina Pérez-Casado2, José Luis Llerena1,3

1CTAEX. Centro Tecnológico Nacional Agroalimentario «Extremadura». Carretera Villafranco-Balboa Km 1.2. 06195 - Villafranco del Guadiana, Badajoz. Spain.

2 INNIZIA. Parque Científico Tecnológico. Av. de Elvas s/n. 06071 - Badajoz. Spain.3Area de Fisiología Vegetal, Universidad de Extremadura. Facultad de Ciencias. Av. de Elvas s/n. 06071 - Badajoz. Spain

www.ctaex.com

Through a comprehensive system of research and rigorous validationof documentary sources CTAEX has been responsible for thedevelopment of the Tomato Technology Observatory an informationservice compiled from scientific articles, journals, patents andlegislative frameworks in addition to in depth market analysis.

This comprehensive resource is presented as a website, featuring thelatest trends, customized alerts along with a printed magazine,allowing growers and the industry as a whole to access up to theminute trends and production forecasts at both regional and globallevel with a view to optimizing performance and sustainability.

At the heart of the “Extremadura" Agrifood Technology Center liesit’s technology transfer policy as can be witnessed by its successfulimplementation in the local tomato industry where yields havealmost doubled, and at our own sites where researchers trialvarieties and cultivation techniques, in addition to productiontechnologies, in conjunction with La Mesa Del Tomate, a nonprofitorganization, which brings researchers, growers and processorstogether.

In 2006 the CTAEX Office for Transfer of Research Results launchedthe Tomato Technology Observatory, a technology vigilance toolserving as a channel for both growers and processors to gain accessto the latest developments in the sector.

One of our most important activities is the identification of high-value emerging markets through a systematic analysis of the UnitedNations UN Comtrade database (International Trade StatisticsDatabase), to predict areas of added value in emerging markets andtechnologies.

According to global trade statistics published by the United Nationson the UN Comtrade database, world tomato exports reached 5.6million tonnes in 2014, with a net value of 6,319 million dollars, themain exporting countries being, The United States, China, Italy, Spainand Portugal.

In addition, the information provided on R & D patents has resultedin the Community Research and Development Service (CORDIS) ofthe European Commission which from 1990-2015 registered 234research projects which referenced tomatoes directly in thedescription, the vast majority of those being involved with cropproduction.

With reference to patent registration, according to the WorldIntellectual Property Organization’s database, the country with themost registered patents is the United States followed by Canada forinternational patents and European patents. If we zero in on thesector with the most registered technologies, we will see that by farthe largest comes from agriculture and from food technology ingeneral, including food preservation treatments, new technologiesfor creating plant base materials and crop resistance and diseasedefense.

In addition to increasing the income of growers and processors inExtremadura, this tool is contributing to the professionalization ofthe industry through the dissemination of new and relevantinnovation in the agrofood sector.

This trial was supported by PETRA Project: Plan Estratégico deTransferencia Tecnológica .