How the World Really Works: The Science Behind How We Got Here and Where We're Going

by Vaclav Smil

Tomatoes can be grown anywhere with at least 90 days of warm weather, including the deck of a seaside cottage near Stockholm or in a garden on the Canadian Prairies (in both cases, from plants started indoors). Commercial cultivation is a different matter, however. As with all but a small share of the fruits and vegetables that are consumed in modern societies, tomato cultivation is a highly specialized affair and most of the varieties available in North American and European supermarkets come from only a few places. In the US it is California; in Europe it is Italy and Spain. In order to increase their yield, improve their quality, and reduce the intensity of energy inputs, tomatoes are increasingly grown in plastic-covered single- or multi-tunnel enclosures or in greenhouses—not only in Canada and the Netherlands but also in Mexico, China, Spain, and Italy.