Erfurt (dpa/th) – Thuringia’s vegetable farmers mainly grew tomatoes under glass last year. From a total of around 33 hectares of cultivation area in the greenhouses and similar constructions, 28 hectares alone were accounted for by the nightshade plants in 2022, as the State Statistical Office announced on Friday. With around 11,100 tons of tomatoes, 640 tons more were harvested than in the previous year. Tomatoes made up the majority of the 11,500 tons of vegetables that came from Thuringian greenhouses in 2022.
According to the information, the often red fruits accounted for almost the entire increase in the total harvest of vegetables under glass last year. The total area under cultivation in greenhouses and the like increased only slightly by 0.5 hectares.
Otherwise, the farms in the houses harvested around 9 tons more cucumbers with 119 tons. The size of the cultivated area did not change. Lamb’s lettuce, lettuce and radishes also thrived in the greenhouses. However, both their acreage and their harvest volumes were significantly smaller than for tomatoes and cucumbers.
For comparison: According to the statisticians, around 3,000 tons fewer vegetables were harvested outdoors in 2022 than in the previous year, with a total of 13,590 tons. The area under cultivation was also reduced from 710 to 683 hectares.
