Production of tomatoes for processing

Abstract

The tomato plant is grown worldwide and it produces edible fruit, that are very nutritious and important in our diet. Although it is not native to the Mediterranean, it became very popular, and is commonly grown by local farmers. In fact it is also highly demanded for local consumption. In our islands, tomatoes are grown throughout the year. During the winter they are cultivated in greenhouses, while during the summer, they are grown outdoors in the open fields. 68% of the latter are destined for processing. Most of the farmers that grow tomatoes are part time farmers, while some others do it as their main job. In all, tomatoes are grown by 600 farmers on about 400 hectares of land. The full time farmers are usually more dedicated in their work and are more likely to show initiative and invest more in modem machinery. Maltese farmers produce about 8,000 to 12,000 tons of tomatoes for processing each year, which are then processed in three factories, two situated in Gozo, and one in Malta. The amount of tomatoes produced, is barely sufficient for our local consumption, so growers are investing to produce a greater quantity, and maybe even produce enough to export the processed final product. Local farmers are still learning on how to improve their product, although current results are already relatively good. According to the conditions made between Malta and the European Union, the product will have to improve substantially up to 2009, so it seems that there is a prospective future for the tomato industry