Agricultural forecasts on 31 October, released on 20 November by the National Institute of Statistics (INE), highlight, in annual crops, a production of over 1.4 million tons of tomatoes for industry, in a campaign with average yields of around 95 tons per hectare at the "best ever" level.

The institute says that average yields achieved in tomatoes are at "the highest in the 1986-2018 statistical series", which, combined with the maintenance of the previous season's area, led to a production of over 1.4 million tons.

With regard to wine production, there is a decrease in production in Ribatejo and Oeste, Alentejo and Algarve, with low temperatures during the harvest (with the reduction in the number of bunches per strain) the main causes of this reduction, as well as the sparse precipitation throughout the cycle, which induced the formation of small berries and light bunches.

In the other regions, INE highlights conditions for the development of the most favourable grapes, with production increasing compared to the previous harvest, especially the region of Trás-os-Montes, where the institute says it has gone from the worst vintage of the last two decades (2018) to predictably one of the most productive.

“Globally, it is estimated that wine production will be maintained (5.84 million hectolitres), anticipating wines with a good balance between alcohol and acidity,” the institute concludes.

Estimates also indicate an increase of 35 percent in apple production, compared to the previous season, and 55 percent in almond, growth justified by the "favourable" weather conditions and the entry into production of new orchards.

INE, in that publication, recalls that late apple varieties were harvested through October, "reinforcing estimates of significant increases" in production over the previous season.

"The favourable weather conditions in the flowering and avenging phase of the fruits and the timely watering, which compensated for the little accumulated rainfall throughout the cycle, allowed to obtain high productivity," he explains.

INE adds that this fact, coupled with the entry into full production of new orchards in Trás-os-Montes, led to the apple campaign “which is expected to be the most productive since 1986, with over 350,000 tonnes”.

INE also predicts an increase of 20 percent in the productivity of olive groves to produce olives to olive oil, responding positively to precipitation, and 5 percent in the production of chestnut, which began this month.

Conversely, INE forecasts reductions in pear and kiwi production (minus 5 percent) and a reduction of 15 percent in sunflower production, compared to the previous season, mainly due to the reduction in the area sown.

In irrigated maize production should reach 700 thousand tons, close to the previous season, while in rice INE estimates a 5 percent decrease in production, “essentially due to low temperatures and low light”.