News

Tomato yields declined in 2015

Indiana’s tomato producers saw a significant decrease in production this year.  Greg Matli, state statistician of the National Ag Statistics Service Indiana Field Office says tomato production is forecasted at nearly 209,000 tons down 39 percent from a year ago.

Steve Smith director of agriculture for Red Gold says the wet start to the growing season didn’t help yields this year.  “Tomatoes are a plant that typically like drier weather,” he says.  “In drier years the crop really shines in comparison to some of the other crops around the state.  When you get too much rain disease sets in – both on the roots and the foliar parts of the plant.  And also – yields suffer because plant growth is stunted.”

Tomato processors contracted 7,200 acres in Indiana this year –2,100 acres less than last year.