Articles
PRODUCTION OF VEGETABLES FOR PROCESSING – A BROAD REVIEW OF HISTORICAL AND RECENT DEVELOPMENTS
Rapid evolution has reached the agricultural systems that involve production of vegetables for processing and this paper outlines some of its trends such as the nature of crops, production areas and the main agricultural practices and techniques.
In a world production of vegetables for processing now estimated at 40 to 45 million tons, tomatoes are undeniably the number one crop in volume and value and the USA is the leading country.
Green peas follow; they are mainly produced in the cool summer areas of the northern hemisphere.
Mushroom production has developed rapidly in the last decade and mushrooms command the highest price per unit weight.
The use of irrigation is expanding in order to increase production areas or regulate yields.
Direct seeding is being extended to new areas and new techniques have appeared, such as precision seeding, plug-mix planting and fluid drilling.
Chemical weed control is now largely dominant but there are still areas where hand-control of weeds is widely practised.
Mechanized harvesting of vegetables for processing is expanding world wide but now at a slower rate as a consequence of increased energy prices.
Tissue culture techniques and hybrid seeds are being incorporated in the propagation of some species.
Genetic engineering has attracted a strong concentration of human and material resources in new seed companies whose goal is the production of genetic material clearly distinct from the current germplasm.
Although vegetables, potatoes are not included in this communication; also spices and small-fruits were not studied.