Are they a vegetable or a fruit? It depends on who you ask!

Harvest: Tomatoes 

Learn all about the tomatoes grown in Hillsborough County.

When are fresh Hillsborough County tomatoes available at local groceries and farm stands?

October through December, and April through June

What type of tomatoes are grown commercially here?

Round and cherry tomatoes

Where are tomatoes most commonly grown in Hillsborough County?

Ruskin and elsewhere in south Hillsborough

How many acres are planted with tomatoes?

5,776 acres

How many pounds of tomatoes are harvested?

170,392,000 pounds, with an estimated value of $81 million

Fun fact

Botanically, tomatoes are fruit - though many people and even the U.S. Supreme Court consider them vegetables. In 1893 the high court, for the purpose of levying a tariff, ruled the tomato is a vegetable.

Local insight

Hillsborough County grows 15 percent of all fresh-market tomatoes in Florida, and is ranked third in the state behind Manatee and Collier counties

Last Modified: 1/10/2024, 7:28:25 PM

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