The long hot summer has proved the ideal climate for tomato growing, with a bumper crop of sweet ripe fruit.

The hot summer is ideal for tomatoes.

TomatoesNZ vice chairman Frank Van Rijen says with tomatoes retailing around $2kg it's an ideal time to enjoy tomato recipes.

'Fresh tomatoes are great eating and excellent value right now.

'If you are planning on making preserves or pasta sauces or soups to bottle or freeze for winter, then this is also the ideal time to take advantage of great seasonal prices.

'Contrary to some recent media reports that the drought has driven up tomato prices, they are selling for similar wholesale prices to the comparable period last year.

'In fact, the consistently hot growing conditions, which result in increased sugar levels, have greatly assisted in the production of a large crop of very high quality tomatoes.”

Frank says growers have maintained a very strong focus on the supply chain following harvest to ensure that, despite the extended sizzling summer conditions, fruit quality is maintained all the way through to the consumer.

As the peak summer production season draws to an end and growers begin having to heat their greenhouses, there will be an increase in tomato prices, he says.

'The current great prices won't last for ever. Growers face significantly increased costs over the cold seasons. However, right now there's still the opportunity to enjoy all the delicious benefits of this summer's very bountiful crop.”