Production growth, ToBRFV resistance, R&D investments, and water management were in the spotlight at this year’s British Tomato Conference
The 2025 British Tomato Conference in Kenilworth highlighted a “huge opportunity for growth” in the UK tomato sector, with domestic crop only accounting for 20 per cent of a market worth £1bn.
Growth in British tomato production “would benefit not only our industry, but the wider horticulture sector, and the UK economy too,” said Nasir Ahmed, consumer and customer manager at BASF Nunhems.
This year’s conference, on 25 September, was the largest ever hosted by the British Tomato Growers Association. And BASF Nunhems, which has over 150 new tomato varieties in the pipeline, was the main sponsor.
“We are proud to stand alongside the industry in shaping a more productive, resilient, and sustainable future for tomato growing in the UK,” said Ahmed.
“While there are undoubtedly opportunities, like any other sector, British tomato production is not without its challenges. This is where collaboration, innovation and events like these are so vital.”
Conference speakers Robbie Moore MP and the NFU’s Gail Souter reflected on the effects of political instability, as well as the industry’s continued difficulties in accessing affordable skilled labour, energy and water.
“The British tomato industry is not alone in facing some of these challenges,” said Ahmed. “Whether it is country-specific issues around planning consent, or global challenges like climate change, there’s an increasing need for improved water use efficiency in tomatoes. It is a good example of where genetics can be part of the solution.”
A research update on ToBRFV delivered by Adrian Fox, a senior plant virologist at Fera Science, described how there are currently five disease outbreaks under surveillance. With two new sites added in 2025, it is the highest number since 2020.
Fox stressed the importance of strategic systems-level approaches to biosecurity to prevent the accumulation of inoculum and to reduce the risk of breaking genetic resistance in varieties.
“Resistance isn’t perfect; it offers protection, not immunity,” added Geert Janssen, global crop technical lead at BASF Nunhems.
“Varieties need to be supported by good hygiene. We know, for instance, that abiotic stress like high temperatures and co-infections are factors that can make resistant varieties vulnerable to the disease.
“Today, there are over 1,000 mutations of ToBRFV and it is very difficult to predict which one will break a resistance gene. It is why at Nunhems we use multiple resistance genes in our varieties.”
BASF Nunhems was the first company to market with a ToBRFV-resistant tomato variety six years after the initial incidence of the virus in 2014. Today, it has more than 20 varieties across different tomato types.
“At the outbreak, we’d already been working on resistant varieties for over five years, thanks to our extensive collaboration with experts, growers, processors and retailers,” said Janssen.
“That work continues. The varieties we’re working on today will be those that are taking on challenges of the next decade – seed breeding is a long-term activity.”
Each year BASF Nunhems invests 20-25 per cent of its turnover into R&D. In 2024, the company opened its doors to its Tomato Experience Centre in the Netherlands.
Located on the site of BASF partner tomato producer, De Bakker Westland, it is a state-of-the-art hub of innovation and collaboration, and home to over 150 high-tech ToBRFV-resistant varieties.
“At the Tomato Experience Centre, we offer a unique opportunity for stakeholders from across the supply chain to meet and explore tomato cultivation and consumption,” said Ahmed.
“For our grower partners, this space provides an interactive environment where they can observe and learn about the agronomic practices that shape the quality of varieties.
“Meanwhile, retail customers are invited to indulge in sensory experiences, exploring the visual appeal and taste profiles of our varieties.”
The power of innovation and collaboration was echoed by many of the speakers at the British Tomato Conference. From the ground-breaking partnership between Hadlow College, Thanet Earth and Growing Kent & Medway, which has led to the UK’s first centre of excellence in greenhouse growing, to the consumer-focused initiative British Tomato Fortnight, which sees the industry collaborate with social media influencers, chefs and retailers.
