Taiwan Organic tomatoes

Tomatoes contain lycopene, other carotenoids and various nutrients and provide many health benefits.
There are 40 cultivars in Taiwan, including cherry tomatoes, small cherry tomatoes, fruit tomatoes, milk tomatoes, Shiaochun tomatoes, rare Jinyin tomatoes, ruby tomatoes, Meinung citrus-flavored tomatoes grown in Southern Taiwan, salt field tomatoes in the costal areas of Yun Lin, Chiayi and Tainan, Honey 3 tomatoes and etc. These cultivars have different textures and cultivation features.

Honey 3 tomatoes, “Honey tomatoes”, are very popular for their thin skin and rich flavor. On the hand, Meinung citrus-flavored tomatoes are the most appealing fruit among winter produce in Meinung for their thin skin, solid flesh, pulpy juicy and sweet flavor with a slightly sour aftertaste.

Tomatoes were first cultivated in Taiwan during the Dutch colonial period. They were greatly promoted during the Japanese colonial period according to some documents. Large fruit varieties and varieties intended for processing were introduced in 1909 and processed tomato products were exported to Japan in 1927.

Large fruit varieties were more popular before 1970s. Farmers started to grow small fruit varieties since the economy has been improve in Taiwan. Known-You Seed Co., Ltd. offered its first cultivar of cherry tomatoes in 1989 and received great success on the market for their small oblong fruits and higher sugar content.

Tomato leaf curl virus (TLCV) vectored by Siverleaf whitefly has recently caused serious loss during the hot and humid seasons in Taiwan. Hualien District Agricultural Research and Extension Station, Council of Agriculture bred a series of virus resistant varieties in cooperation with Asian Vegetable Research and Development Center (now called The World Vegetable Center-WorldVeg). “Hualien AsianVeg 21” was available to farmers after 7 years of continuous efforts.

Are tomatoes vegetables or fruits? People had argued over the classification of tomatoes for a long time before the United States Supreme Court ruled that a tomato was a vegetable in 1893. Large fruit tomatoes are considered as vegetable and small one as fruit in Taiwan.

Tomatoes grown in the autumn and winter have the best texture and flavor comparing to those grown in the raining season and hot summer. Different varieties can be cultivated in different areas in Taiwan. Nantou, Chiayi, Tainan and Kaoshiung are the main cultivation areas. Organic tomatoes prefer soil full of organic matters and pH values ranging between 5.6 and 7.5, such as sandy loam. They grow best in well-drained conditions. Except for high temperature, tomato cultivation has to prevent continuous heavy rain, which may cause cracking and splitting and damage the appearance of tomatoes.

Most organic tomatoes were grown in net houses, where vines climb on bamboo poles or arched tubes. Farmers use liquid organic fertilizer and take preventive pest control measures, such as Bacillus thuningiensis, in accordance with Organic Agriculture Promotion Act. The harvest of tomatoes starts in October and ends in the following June.

Enjoy small fruit tomatoes in various ways. You can eat fresh fruit and make juice or vinegar. Marinated tomatoes can be good appetizers after being cooked with rock sugar, dried plums and lemon juice. Preserved tomatoes, dried tomatoes, tomato ice cream, tomato snacks, and tomato desserts are all good choices. Just it a try.