Podravka closes tomato processing plant in Umag, production moves to Kalnik

One of Podravka’s most famous brands, its tomato, which has been processed for over 40 years in Istria’s Umag, will now be produced in Kalnik, Varaždin County, where the line for tetrapack – filling processed tomatoes was also relocated last year, as reported by Glas Istre on Friday.

Podravka is currently in the process of building a purchasing station in the Ungarija economic zone, which is expected to be completed during 2024. – This confirms our long-term plans to continue primary purchasing and processing of Istrian tomatoes at a new location in Umag. Namely, Podravka has decided to relocate industrial tomato production to the mainland, as the current location is no longer suitable for the continued operation of the factory, and after January 1, 2024, it will no longer be possible to process tomatoes there. After detailed analyses and consideration of possible options, the decision was made to move processing to the fruit and vegetable processing plant in Kalnik – they explain at Podravka, adding that the continuation of cooperation with local Istrian cooperatives has never been in question.

– Istrian tomatoes are important to us because they are of exceptional quality, so we will encourage our cooperatives to increase production, and we will purchase everything they produce. In the future, we will continue to work together on selecting the best tomato varieties, crop protection, and fertilization. At the same time, we are also strengthening industrial tomato production on the mainland due to the need for larger quantities. Podravka continues to implement its strategic goal of revitalizing cooperative cooperation with farmers and modernizing industrial production and processing of fruits and vegetables. The fundamental goal is to increase self-sufficiency of industrial vegetables and fruits for its own production needs, due to disruptions in the global raw material procurement market, rising prices and production costs, but also the strong need to initiate modern agriculture in Croatia – they emphasize at Podravka.

Specifically, Podravka plans to grow about 13 thousand tons of tomatoes for its own production this year, and in the future, it plans to grow up to 40 thousand tons of tomatoes. Just over six thousand tons are produced and purchased in Istria, while the rest is grown on areas in the continental part of Croatia. Podravka produces industrial tomatoes on a total of about 230 hectares, of which 82 hectares are its own land, and the rest are contracted cooperative areas, which are planned to be significantly increased in the coming years.

The workers who worked in the factory are Podravka’s workers from Mirna in Rovinj, so the company says there is no job loss due to the closure of the factory.