This statistic shows the 10 U.S. states where the most tomatoes for fresh market were produced in 2018. In California, around 8.17 million cwt of tomatoes for fresh market were produced that year. In terms of
global vegetable production, tomatoes were ranked among the leading types.
Tomatoes
The tomato plant belongs to the so called nightshade family. It is one of the
most popular vegetables worldwide. Tomatoes originated in Mexico and spread around the world after the Spanish colonization of the American continent. Today, approximately 150 million metric tons of tomatoes are produced globally.
The United States produces around 1.4 million metric tons of tomatoes for fresh market consumption. The largest proportion of U.S. tomato production is used for
further processing. The top U.S. states based on tomato production for fresh market usage are California and Florida.
Per capita tomato consumption in the United States was stable over the past decade. Every American consumes more than 17 kilograms of fresh tomatoes annually. According to a study, every fourth American consumer buys fresh tomatoes weekly or even more frequently. Since 2000, average U.S.
retail prices for one pound of field grown tomatoes varied between 1.40 and 2.47 U.S. dollars.