Have you noticed that tomatoes have become harder and harder lately? Many people complain that tomatoes are like chewing stones, not only are they hard to chew, but they also don't taste as good as they used to be. What's the reason behind this? Actually, it's not your illusion, tomatoes are changing. From the selection of varieties planted to chemical ripening, to the type of fertilizer applied, every step can be what makes tomatoes hard. We interviewed a number of vegetable farmers who specialize in growing tomatoes, and they revealed to us the inside story of tomato hardening.
The vegetable farmers who grow tomatoes have a passion for it, and they are real industrious people in the fields. In our conversations with them, we learned a lot about what makes tomatoes harder, and the first reason is the change of variety.
"Most of the tomatoes on the market today are new varieties. An old vegetable farmer with 30 years of planting experience took off his hat and wiped the sweat from his forehead, "These new varieties of tomatoes grow fast and have high yields, but they are hard." This is mainly to adapt to the needs of transportation, so that the tomatoes are less damaged during transportation. ”
New varieties of tomatoes are extremely popular in the market because they have an attractive appearance and are able to attract the attention of customers. But the price behind this is at the expense of the original sweetness and juiciness of the tomatoes. Many buyers reported that although these tomatoes looked very red and attractive, they felt sour and hard when they were bitten.
Another issue is the use of chemical ripening. In order to make tomatoes market earlier and make better profits, vegetable farmers often choose to use ripening agents. "The ripening agent can make the tomatoes red earlier, and they will ripen when they look at it, but in fact they are still raw inside. A vegetable farmer said helplessly. These tomatoes look ripe on the surface, but in fact, the flesh becomes firmer and the flavor is greatly reduced due to the stimulation of chemicals.
Finally, changes in fertilization practices are also an important factor in the hardening of tomatoes. In order to achieve higher yields, vegetable farmers generally use large amounts of potassium and nitrogen fertilizers. "We did this to make the tomatoes grow faster, but it also made them lose the sweetness they should have. Vegetable farmers tacitly say that although such fertilization methods can increase yields in the short term, in the long run, it may lead to consumer dissatisfaction and market shrinkage.
Faced with this situation, some vegetable farmers have begun to try to return to traditional planting methods. "I'm now trying to use as few chemical fertilizers and ripening agents as possible and try to grow some traditional varieties. A turned-vegetable farmer shared that he started growing some old varieties of tomatoes, and although the yields were not as high, he won a lot of customers coming back.
The response from customers to these traditional tomatoes has also been very positive. "This is the taste of tomatoes as I remember them!", one buyer sighed as he ate, "It's not easy to get such an old variety on the market now." ”
It's important for us ordinary consumers to understand the stories behind these. It is not only related to the health of our daily diet, but also touches on the protection and inheritance of traditional agriculture. In the process, we can choose to support farmers who stick to traditional farming methods, and choose traditional varieties that are less perfect in appearance but more delicious.
Through these changes, we will not only be able to enjoy healthier and delicious tomatoes, but we will also be able to move agriculture in a more sustainable direction. So, the next time you're picking tomatoes at the market, try the old varieties that don't look so glamorous, but are actually more delicious. After all, good taste experiences often come from the most inconspicuous corners.