-February 12,2019-
It is a familiar pattern. San Joaquin Valley farmers are expected plant fewer acres of processing tomatoes in 2019 according to a new USDA report.
But the tonnage of of tomatoes is expected rise to 12.1 million – a 2.5 percent increase over last year. Farmers are expecting a yield of 51.5 tons per acre in 2019, the same number as 2018.
The industry average yield has more than doubled in the past few decades. It was under 20 tons per acre in the mid 60s and in the 30s as recently as 2006. In 2017 the yield come in at 44.5 tons an acre.
Producing more than 90 percent of the nation’s processed tomatoes and nearly half the world’s total processed tomato tonnage, California’s tomato growers are among the most efficient farmers in the world. Adoption of drip irrigation and fertilizing techniques has helped drive up yield.
The tomato is the most widely-grown vegetable in the United States.Americans eat about 75% of their tomatoes in the processed form. Consumption of processed tomatoes accelerated in the late 1980s with the popularity of pizza, pasta, and salsa.
Processing tomatoes are picked fresh and then heat-treated for use in tomato products, including tomato paste, diced and whole canned tomatoes, tomato sauces, tomato juice, tomato soup, salsas, and ketchup.
This month processor Olam in Lemoore is expected to add solar to heat their product.
The top three production counties in order are Fresno,Yolo and Kings.
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