She writes:
Eaten raw or cooked to perfection, the humble tomato is a quintessential addition to your plate, whatever the cuisine. And this week, British tomatoes are being celebrated in all their glory for British Tomato Week 2016.
Domestic tomato production amounts to about 75,000 metric tonnes per year (about a fifth of the total volume of tomatoes sold in the country annually). However, this proportion rises to up to 50% in the summer in the peak of the season.
Trends in tomato types have changed over the years, but currently, premium tomatoes such as tomatoes on the vine are driving growth in the market. They now account for half of the UK tomato production area.
While your average gardener may think of tomatoes as a summer crop, over the years, investment in glasshouse production and supplementary lighting means that British tomatoes can now be grown year-round, providing new “out of season” sales opportunities and the potential for import substitution.
Perhaps then it is not surprising then that production under glass is slowly increasing, with the British tomato industry now occupying around 200Ha of glass (and growing). That’s twice the area of all the football pitches added together in the British professional leagues!
At a time when national per-capita consumption of fruit and vegetables has stalled at around three portions per day; and fruit, vegetable and potato purchases have fallen by 14%, 5% and 20% respectively (since 2007), growth in the tomato sector must be taken as a good sign.
With an annual cost of obesity to the NHS of £5.1 billion per year and fruit and veg consumption critical to tackling Type 2 Diabetes, the NFU is calling on government, retailers, processors and the food service industry to rally behind its recently-launched “Fit for the Future” report and develop and implement the actions that are needed to increase the consumption of fruit and vegetables from its current level of 3 a day to the recommended 5 a day. Like all the other sectors, tomato production has a part to play.
See also: 4 fascinating facts about tomatoes
Despite growth in popularity, in the UK, consumers only eat around 6oz (160g) of fresh tomatoes per person per week: less than other European countries, especially those in the Mediterranean region, so there is still room for increasing consumption in the UK to capitalize on the range of health benefits that tomatoes have to offer.
Tomatoes are a good source of Vitamins A, C and E, the natural plant pigments known as carotenoids (both beta-carotene and lycopene) and flavonoids. They also contain important minerals such as potassium, which has been linked to lowering blood pressure and calcium, which is vital for healthy bones and teeth. Lycopene has even been linked to being particularly active in protecting the body against heart disease and some forms of cancer. So there’s much to be said for increasing consumption of this savoury fruit.
British tomatoes are in prime place to offer consumers fresh, delicious and, most importantly, nutritious food that is an essential pillar of improving consumer health.
With that in mind, spare a little thought for the humble tomato on your next shop. Join the growers, processors, chefs, and retailers behind British Tomato Week 2016,
And ensure that our love affair with the British tomato is here to stay.