Tomato crop residues could become a new source of income for Colombian producers

• Research conducted by AGROSAVIA identified that the residues generated by greenhouse tomato production have the potential to become new bioproducts, services, and business models that promote the bioeconomy, reduce environmental impacts, and strengthen producers’ profitability in Boyacá and Cundinamarca.

 

Tunja, Boyacá. August 13, 2026. Each tomato production cycle leaves behind tons of stems, leaves, discarded fruits, seeds, and other residues that, in most cases, decompose in the field or are disposed of without generating any benefit. Paradoxically, this material, which is currently considered waste, could become an opportunity to diversify producers’ income and move toward more sustainable agriculture.

This is one of the main findings of a research project led by AGROSAVIA, which analyzed the bioeconomic potential of greenhouse tomato production systems in the Alto Ricaurte region of Boyacá and eastern Cundinamarca, two of the country’s main tomato-producing regions.

The study concludes that these residues can form the basis for new bio-businesses capable of generating economic value, reducing pollution, and promoting more circular production models in which crop by-products are transformed into new inputs and opportunities for the agricultural sector.

 

From Waste to Co-Product

In Colombia, greenhouse tomato production has grown steadily because it can achieve yields up to three times higher than those obtained under open-field conditions. However, this increase in productivity has also resulted in greater waste generation, including plant residues, of which less than five percent is currently utilized.

According to MSc Researcher Víctor Camilo Pulido, from the Tunja office, ascribed to AGROSAVIA’s Tibaitatá Research and Technology Transfer Center, the challenge lies in changing how these materials are perceived.

“Rather than waste, we should view them as co-products with the potential to become new goods and services. Under a bioeconomy approach, these materials can be transformed into business opportunities that complement traditional tomato production and help improve the incomes of rural families,” he explains.

This change in approach also offers an alternative for reducing the costs associated with waste disposal and mitigating the environmental impacts of its accumulation and decomposition.

 

Each Region Has Different Opportunities

The research assessed the bioeconomic potential of both regions using a methodological tool developed by IICA in Costa Rica, used to analyze aspects related to infrastructure, markets, local capacities, innovation, and territorial conditions.

The results show that Boyacá has significant potential for developing bio-businesses associated with cultural ecosystem services and agrotourism, taking advantage of visitors’ interest in learning about greenhouse production systems as part of rural tourism experiences, integrated with the tourism systems already established in the region.

In contrast, eastern Cundinamarca has favorable conditions for promoting agro-industrial processing of residual biomass, thanks to its proximity to Bogotá, its infrastructure, and its capacity for innovation. These characteristics could enable the development of new bio-based products from crop residues, generating productive linkages with greater added value.

Rather than competing with one another, both regions could complement each other in consolidating a value chain around the utilization of biomass generated by tomato production.

 

New Businesses for a Circular Agriculture

The study identifies multiple opportunities to transform tomato residues into commercially valuable products. Discarded tomatoes, stems, seeds, skins, and pulp could become raw materials for producing biofertilizers, bioinsecticides, bio-inputs, and other bioproducts through biorefineries adapted to rural conditions, as demonstrated by successful experiences with tomatoes in other parts of the world.

Many producers already prepare some of these inputs on a small-scale, artisanal basis to reduce fertilization and crop health management costs. The research proposes strengthening this knowledge through circular bioeconomy models that would allow these initiatives to scale up and become new sources of income through collaboration among academia, agricultural support institutions within the national agricultural system, and the private sector.

In addition to creating new productive opportunities, using these materials reduces dependence on chemically synthesized inputs, decreases soil and water-source pollution, and contributes to a lower carbon footprint for agricultural activities.

 

The Research Also Points the Way Toward Making These Bio-Businesses a Reality

Although the potential exists, the study warns that challenges remain in turning these opportunities into a reality for producers. These include strengthening producer organizations and collective action to consolidate sufficient volumes of biomass, facilitate access to financing mechanisms tailored to this type of initiative, and develop markets that create demand for new bioproducts before scaling up production.

In this context, AGROSAVIA plays a strategic role by transforming scientific knowledge into applicable solutions for the agricultural sector. Through the transfer of technologies such as low-cost rural biorefineries and management models based on the bioeconomy and circular economy, the Corporation promotes alternatives that help producers adopt innovations while bringing cutting-edge methodologies to the country. In this regard, AGROSAVIA will continue coordinating efforts with producers, academia, institutions, and other sector stakeholders to promote technologies and initiatives that contribute to a more innovative, competitive agriculture committed to the sustainable development of its territories.

 

The full study can be read here: https://www.revistas.una.ac.cr/index.php/ambientales/article/view/20889