xt7mw6694n2t https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt7mw6694n2t/data/mets.xml   Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station. 1953 journals 005 English Lexington : Agricultural Experiment Station, University of Kentucky Contact the Special Collections Research Center for information regarding rights and use of this collection. Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station Progress report (Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station) n.5 text Progress report (Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station) n.5 1953 2014 true xt7mw6694n2t section xt7mw6694n2t Progress Report. 5 January l9’>3
MARKETING NORTHERN KENTUCKY TOMATOES
By (Q l) l·’hil.¤1p1~a
Department of Agmcultural Economics
Introductton .
The producuon of tomatoes in the three northern Kentucky counties Boone
Kenton. and Campbell for *he fresh vegetable market IH Cuncnnnati has long been
an important source of mcome on sorne of the farms Durzug 1949, for example,
ZZ5 farmers tn ‘hese counttes razsed nearly 300 acres of tornatoes for sale in the
metxnpolttan area. Producers tn these counties folkow two practlces tn producing "
tontatoes. The largest p.roport1on raxse the l'T1&1¤1 crop of tomatoes which ts
marketed from early July unml late August About 75 percent ofthe acreagt rn
1949 was devoted to thxs crop The remainder of the acreage was utxl zed to
produce a late crop which as marketed from mud-Sepzembet unttl frost
lr1'l`r1mble County. scnte 50 males to the southwest: but wzthtn easy t’narke‘·
lng dxstance ofthe Cfrmctnnau market. 7163 farmers produced 6.29 ac res of t·.mat·..»es
tn 1949. Most of these ‘orrtatoes are marke‘ed frorn rn1d-August on. The- largest
part of the crop rs sold to a cartrer. but an recent years a goodly proportyon was
harves‘*ed an the mafure—green stage and sold to prepackers for tubtng purp—»ses
The bulk of these tomatoes were purchased by truckers who take them so·.tt.h =->t
ripentng and pack1r:.g. Some of chxs crop mtgh. be used by the prepackcrs ‘Nl'l1’
1n the area 1f they were properly harvested and handled so as to meet the re
quzrements of local packagexs,
The Early Crop
Pre s_erf1__·l\iIa;kg£tA¤rng_ Q/le_tl~od_s; The early crop of tonwatoes xn the Northern
Kertnckv courrtnes i.s largely rrtarketed xn one of two ways, e1ther tn one ·half
bushel baskets or tn l0—p<»und cardboard baskets Those producers selling on
the farmers marke*. or dzrectly to wholesale dealers rave been selltng 1n the
one-lalf bushel baskets wrale those producers selftng through. the Cnncmnatt
Produce Growers Assoc:a*1on used the l0 —pound cardboard baskc‘s.
[ Central packmg of the 10 pound cardhoa rd baskets by the Ctnctnnau Pro-
duce Growers Assoctatzon was abandoned seve ral years ago and smce that tune
each nterrtber packs the tornafoes an the 10·pounrl baske’s on the farrn prtor
to ul\Ul..`ib e• rig-a~»··~·e·r1 to l=av•· ;.r·»dnc¤·rs
` standardtze packs each producer has has own tdeas on howto patk cone
seque ntly the Assoctatzon does not have a stanclarchzed product to sell.
Kc- nt ky Agrwulttwal P.xper1nwn'Stat1on
Umver sry <·l Kcrrut ky
1,t x1t»g¤c·n

 F “. -Z ,
Lack létandardization Limits_ Markeg The lack of a standardized pack
’» or of a pack meeting the U. S. No. l Grade requirement has restricted the
market for home-grown tomatoes. In fact several of the largest buyers distri-
buting fresh vegetables wi "hin the metropolitan area use shipped-··in tomatoes
_ to meet the largest share of their requirements even during the height of the
4 local tomato season. Also some out-of —town buyers, normally in the habit
. of purchasing graded tomatoes, prefer to buy U. S. No. 1 Grade because they
know what they are gettingi.
The Problfelrl The problem with the early crop was to find out if well-
graded tomatoes packed by the Association for uniformity into U. S, No. 1
and U. S, No. 2 Grades would sell for sufficiently higher prices so that the
" net returns received by producers would be greater than that received by them
from the sale of farm—packed combination grade tomatoes, Furthermore, .
would it be possible with uniformly packed tomatoes to expand the market
outlrt either to new buyers within the area or to buyers from outside the area?
». The Experimert
Arrangements were made during the 1951 season with a few producers to
deliver in field crates field-ruin merchantable tomatoes to the Association
warehouse whe re they would be graded and packed in 10 ·pound baskets. Due
to unseasonally bad weather, one of the driest seasons on record for the area,
the crop of tomatoes was iot ‘yp2·cal, Also some of the producers did not
deliver the tomatoes beca ise their ciop was almost a failure. Three pro-
ducc rs. howeve r, did delver a total of 3,. #75 pounds on four different days,
Aug=is‘ 1, 910 pounds August 3, 840 pounds August 6. 660 pounds and
August 8,, 665 pounds. These tomatoes we re carefully graded and packed
into 10-pound cardboard baskets.
Each lov of tomatoes was carefully examined in order to determine how
bes‘ to pack it,. For example, Producer No 1 delivered on August. 1, 265
pounds of torrxaoes. Close examinawon showed that about 40 percent were _
culis_ 35 perce at U S. No. 1"s and 25 percent U S No, 2's That would
pac}: out nine baskets of lf. S. No. 1 s. seven baskets of U. S. No. 2‘s, or
._ c 16 baskets of Combinatzoia Grade. At prevailing prices the nine baskets of
·t_ U.. S. No lis would bring $9.. 90.. the seven baskets of U. S. No. 2*s $3. 50
or a total of $1 5 40. The i6 baske*s of Combination Grade would bring
$16 OO or $2.61) more. The crop was packed under the Combination Grade
» and actually on*y 15 baskets were obtained with lil.5 pounds of cullsi Culls
1nt‘zis delivery amounted to 43 percent. The final delivery by this producer,
because of better grading at picking time. contained but 6 percent culls.
Producer No 3 delivered the best torna•oes I-lis first delivery of
350 pounds graded as follows U, S No 1 68 percent, U S. No 2,
23 percent; U. S. No. 1 size B. 3 percei t, Culls, 6 percent. At existing
prices it was a toss-up whether the producer would receive more by strict
grading than bx selling tle tomatoes packe d in the Combination Grade.
Tomatoes delivered ehe first three times by Producer No 2 contained so
few that would grade U S No. 1, it was decided that the extra cost of sorting
thein out would be greate * than selling all as No Zls His fourth delivery,

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however? improved so much that it was estimated that a combination grade
,_ containing slightly more than 60 percent U. S. N0. 1 Grade tomatoes could
be packed.
Approxzmaiely one -third of the total delivered by all producers was packed
’ to meet the Corubination Grade, one—=hird to meet U. S. No. Z Grade require-
0 mens. Only 19 percent. were packed as U S. No. 1 Grade tomatoes. Fourteen
percent were culls. When the grader inspc cted the packs he was asked to esti-
mate the percentage of U. S. No. l Grade tomatoes in the Combination Grade.
Y Using his estimate and adding the amount actually packed as U. S. No. 1 Grade,
only 1300 pounds or 42 percent of the tomatoes delivered would meet U. S. No. 1
Grade standards.
Long., deep stem cracks and growth cracks on the shoulders were by far
the most common cause {cr the tomatoes being down-graded. Of course the
fact that the season was unusually dry and he fields were irrigated may have
caused some of the damage. Growers,. however; indicated that although the
damage was mo ¢e severe han usual., the loss from stem cracking and growth
rings was always heavy and caused considerable loss every year.
It is doubtful whether final conclusions should be drawn from the work during
this season. Certainly unless the price spread between U. S. No. 1 Grade
. tomatoes and the Combination Grade is greater than existed on the Cincinnati
Market during the surnmer of 1951 and a much larger percentage of the tomatoes
produced would meet the grade standards of the U. S, No. 1 Grade, producers
will receive as nigh gross returns from the sale of the combination grade as
they would if graded into U. S, No. l and li. S. No. 2 Grades. Unless a greatly
increased percentage of tomatoes meet the grade standards of the U. S. No. 1
Grace either by better or more favorable production conditions, it will be diffi-
cult indeed to attract the larger buyers within the area or to expand the sale of
locally grown tomatoes into other ma rkets. _
J The Late Crop
· Ezteszez  &};2izingg__;21_n_dKlitlipepiiirrig. The graded and sized tomatoes were placed
in lugs so that   would not he necessary tw rehandle them when delivered to the
packagert They were delivered to the packager and placed into the ripening
` room on Tuesday. The temperature was held at 59 degrees F, with humidity
at 89 percent for Z4 hours. On Wednesday the temperatures was increased to
64 degrees F,) with humidity remaining the same, and held at that temperature
until Saturday evening; or for 7Z tours, From Saturday afternoon until Monday
moi ning the temperature was dropped to 60 degrees Fi with humidity still at
- 89 percent. Early Monday morning the temperature was raised back to 64
degrees F and held there for the remainder of the period.
The condit on of the tomatoes and the degree of ripeness was carefully
checked each day, On Tl ursdayg about 48 hours after the sample had been
placed in the ripening roomy many of the more mature nearly ripe tomatoes and-
1 those that had shown a redde sh color when placed in the ripening room, showed
. black spots on he shoulders. By Friday these spots were quite sizable and
were getting deeper. By Monday the tomatoes that showed these black spots
also showed a lixeakdown of tissue within *he tomato. The tomatoes picked in
the mature -gr+ en stage on those picked immanture did not show the breakdown
to any extent.
Samples of the tornatoes we re selected from the ripening room on Friday
and taken back to producers on the farm. An exammaiion of tomatoes still.
unharvested in ·he fields also showed many in the pinkmripe stage were showing
a similar breakdown Similar breakdown was also found in tomatoes in the
» ripening rooms on the farm. Samples were selected and sent to the Kentucky
Agricultural Experiment Station for analysis and observation,
Eagkigg it was no• until Tuesday. eight days after being placed in the
ripening room that a sufficiently large pe mentage had ripened to justify
handling and pa :king. On that day 7CZ pouieds were iubed (see Table 1) 660
V pounds were replaced in the ripening room and the remainderq Zi 798 pounds
or 67 percent, were discarded. Only those tomatoes which were in good
conczition were replaced in the ripening room.

 ..5 a_
Table I  
[ CAMPBELL COUNTY TOMATOES
A LATE CROP ~ 1952
TOMATOES DELIVERED
Grower No. Tomatoes Size
Delivered ————-———·—— 
Large Med1um Small
  .....—"._..... 
Pounds Pounds Pounds Pounds
1 1640 380 760 500
2 1880 340 920 620
3 640 80 200 360
Total 4160 800 1880 1480
_ TOMATOES PACKED
Grower No. Packed Packed Total Percent
_ First Handling Second Handling Packed Total
Pounds Pounds Pounds Pounds
I and 2* 636 320 956 27
3 66 10 76 12
Toll 702 330 1032 25
*Packed out as one delivery

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i The causes for discarding tomatoes were first, breakdown of shoulders
causing black spots, second, softening of a part of the tomato; third, stem cracks;
. fourth, minor injuries such as bruises and scuffed places received either during
transporting to market or grading operations; and fifth, worm and disease damage
A that showed up after grading.
‘ The tomatoes placed back in the ripening room were allowed to stay there
until Friday morning when they were again sorted. This second handling re-
sulted in a pack of 330 pounds or exactly 50 percent The discards from this
handling were so immature that it was doubtful whether they would ever ripen,
and as the tomatoes had been picked for two weeks some had started to shrivel.
There was but little or no breakdown of the tissue noticeable in these green tomatoes.
i The total pack~out was 1 032 pounds or Z5 percent of the graded and sized
tomatoes This was not zi sufficient pack ·out to make the project profitable
either for the producer o· the packer Tre fact that the tomatoes were picked
too green and required eight days in ·he ripening roorn prior to the first handling
and 12. days przor to the final handling was undoubtedly the chief cause of the
high percentage of lossi Even mxnor defects on the tomato at the time of harvest
had developed into a major defect during the long holding period However, the
tissue breakdown which occurred in the more mature tomatoes within the first
few days after being placed in the ripening room was the factor that caused
the second greatest loss,
Reports indicated €ha* the t.onia¤<>#s from Campbell County packed during
the experiment were at fi rst well received by the retail trade However, the
_ reputation was shori lived for those tomatoes that did not move out of the re-
i tail trade rather quickly broke down and hecarrie watery The breakdown
appeared as a slightly darker place on the skin then became puffy and watery,
indicating a complete breakdown of the tissue The breakdown was more
corrmon in the medium —sized toma·oc s ra·rer tran in the smaller immature
ones or the larger ones. On The last day. 14 cartons or 140 pounds of the
torriatoes that had been sent to the re *ail stores, werr recalled and discardedn
Conclusions on Campbell County Tomatoes
Before the late crop ·oma*oes in Northern Kentucky can successfully be
' marketed through packers i• wil. be essential to find out what is causing the
tissue breakdown, As some claim it was tre variety produced, it may be
necvssary to test other varieties until one better adapted is found, Another
claim is that the breakdown of ’:ssue was due to a nutritional deficiency, With
proper cultural prac*ices it should be posnble to correct the nutritional de·
ficicncy if that is the cause Anothe r fact »r that may be a contributing factor
tothe tissue breakdown was the long ripe ning period This can be remedied
by rarvesfing the tomatoes when they are more nearly zriatugre.
In order to meet the requirement of the packager. Northern Kentucky late
tomato producers mus‘ harvest the c rop more nearly ready for packing and
sor· more uniformly for maturity In order to obtain a high quality and vine-

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if ripened flavor, the tomatoes should remain in the ripening room only a short
time - from 24 to 48 hours · before bei.ng ready to pack. This would reduce
cost of operating the ripening rooms. lf, as was the case this year, it requires ·
8 to ll days to ripen the tomatoes, much if not all of the advantage of their
being produced nearby is lost. California tomatoes held in the same ripening
room were ready to pack on fourth day and packed out nearly 80 percent in
the first run. Locally grown tomatoes must do better than that if they are to
be used by local packagers.
Trimble County Tomatoes
Receipts, The three producers in Trisrnble County delivered 4, 635 pounds
of tomatoes. They were graded and sized on Tuesday morning. From the
three shipments 3, 620 pounds or 78 percent were usable tomatoes and 1, 015
or 22 percent were culls (See Table ll). Most of the culls could have been
eliminated at time of picking had producers graded more carefully. One lot
had a very large percentage of worm -damaged tomatoes, Long stem cracks
and softness were other causes leading to the high percentage of culls. Al-
though. there was some bruise damage caused either by rough handling at
picking time or received while being ‘ransported to Cincinnati, it was not
excessive.
The sample contained 440 pounds or 12 percent large tomatoes, 1, 200
pounds or 33 percent rnedrurnrsize Mornatoes, and l 980 pounds or 55 percent
small tomatoes (See Table ll). Fully half of the small tomatoes were too
smal§` to be usable but could not be rsepa ra’ed at this point. The 3, 620
pounds were placed in the rxpenzng room on Tuesday. Temperature and
humidity were the same as for the No rrhern Kentucky sample.
Packou! These sornatoes were muct» nearer ready for packing than the
Northelrtnllgentucky sample and we re packed out on Frzday after only four days
1nth·e ripening room Thx re was a toual of 1. 020 pounds packed out on the
first handling; 720 pounds we re returned for additional ripening and 1, 520
pounds were discarded The main reason for discards was size Other
facters were worm damage ihat had been rnissed previously, stem cracks,
and the breakdown of the izssue around the stem due to Phoma Rot.
The packer was rnuch concerned because of the development. of Phoma
Rot. This can infect other tomatoes in the room. In fact some of the
California tomatoes stacked next tothe sample also showed signs of the
rot. although tht remainde r of the shipment ripened in another room showed
no signs of the disease
'[`he tomatoes that had been placed back into the r*pening room showed
:1 considerable amoun* of damage due •o the development of Phoma Rot on
them lt was decided on Tuesday to grade out what could be used and dis-
card the remainder and as a result 225 pounds or 31 percent was packed.
That resulted in a total uackout of l 245 pounds or 34 percent of the graded
and sized tomatoes,. or 27 percent of the total shipment.

 ‘ _ _ -7a-
* Table I1
TRIMBLE COUNTY TOMATOES
LATE CROP — 1952
- ` TOMATOES DELIVERED
_— Pound< of Graded Total
Grower No. Tomatoes Culls Percent Tomatoes bx size Graded
Delivered Culls Large Medium Small Tomafoes
Pounds Pounds Pounds
4 2795 735 26 220 620 1220 2060
5 1225 105 9 180 440 500 1120
6 615 175 28 40 140 260 440
Total 4635 1015 22 440 _ 1200 1980 3620
Percentage Graded Tomatoes 12% 33% 55%
l TOMATOES PACKED
Grower No. Packed Packed Total Percentage
First Handling Second I-Iandldng Packed Graded Tomatoes
Pounds Pounds Pounds
4 535 100 635 31
5 345 95 440 39
6 140 30 170 39
Total 1020 225 1245 34

 D Conclusions on Trimble County Tomatoes
It will require much more careful grading of tomatoes-on the farm before
Trimble County tomatoes can be handled satisfactorily by the packager. With .
greater care in local grading much of the waste at the time the tomatoes were
graded would have been avoided. Also, better cultural practices are necessary
to control worm damage. The control of Phoma Rot is also necessary before
packagers can safely handle the tomatoes from Trimble County.
General Conclusion
There is a market for a large quantity of tomatoes suitable for tubing
during the period when late tomatoes from Northern Kentucky and Trimble
County are being marketedt During the past season more than four carloads
of California tomatoes were sold in tubes by the local packers on the Cin-
cinnati market during the first week of this experiment. Abu excess of ll car-
loads were handled by them during the two—week period.
lf the local growers can produce a tomato that can be handled success-
fully by the packers, the late tomato crop in Northern Kentucky and in Trimble
County could be vastly expanded to meet the local market demands.