Organizers in the present year cut the number of participants by half intending towards safety concerns. Furthermore, Bunol’s Mayor Joaquin Masmano Palmer also admitted that the food fight, which has to undergo expenditure 140,000 euros to stage this year, represents a heavy burden for a town accompanied by a debt of 4.1 million euros. It's for the first time, a private company, SpainTastic, was charged characterized by selling tickets for the Tomatina, sparking concern that recession-hit Spain’s beloved town festivals may be on the path to privatisation.