Tomatoes Production in Australia (2020)

Overview

Tomatoes are grown in almost all states across Australia. However, the majority of the production occurs mainly in Victoria and Queensland. In traditional times, most of this vegetable was produced outdoors. Nevertheless, in recent years, tomatoes are being produced in high-tech glasshouses.

Lycopene is one of the most abundant plant compounds in tomatoes. It’s found in the highest concentrations in tomato products, such as ketchup, juice, paste, and sauce.

Health Benefits of Tomatoes

Despite botanically being a fruit, it’s generally eaten and prepared like a vegetable.

This vegetable is the major dietary source of the antioxidant lycopene, which has been linked to many health benefits, including reduced risk of heart disease and cancer. They are also a great source of vitamin C, potassium, folate, and vitamin K. Usually red when mature, this vegetable can also come in a variety of colours, including yellow, orange, green, and purple. What’s more, many subspecies of tomatoes exist with different shapes and flavour.

Fresh tomatoes are low in carbs. The carb content consists mainly of simple sugars and insoluble fibres. These fruits are mostly made up of water. This vegetable is a good source of several vitamins and minerals, such as vitamin C, potassium, vitamin K, and folate.

Statistics of Tomatoes

As of June 2020:

1. Around 460,789 tonnes of tomatoes were produced. Out of this, 48% was sent for processing.
2. The supply per capita was recorded at 9.7 kg, based on the volume supplied.
3. 86% of Australians purchased tomatoes while on their shopping haul. Hence, they bought an average of 498 grams of this vegetable per trip

Major Production Areas

As mentioned before, this vegetable is grown across all states of Australia. However, the major production areas include the Bowen, Bundaberg and the Lockyer Valley. In addition, quite a bit of production also takes place in the Goulburn Valley in Victoria.