SHANDONG PROVINCE : CULTIVATING CHERRY TOMATOES IN CHINESE SOLAR GREENHOUSES

Shandong Province stands as the undisputed heart of China’s cherry and grape tomato production.

This region , located on South Est of Beijing, currently accounts for the vast majority of the domestic market supply, housing approximately 250 million tomato plants by year .

Most of these crops are grown in traditional chinese solar  greenhouses, characterized by specialized protective structures designed to optimize the microclimate .

It consists of three brick or earthen walls (North, East, and West) and a south-facing roof covered with plastic film. During the day, the thick north wall absorbs solar heat. At night, the structure is covered with thermal blankets made of straw or fabric to retain the accumulated warmth, allowing vegetable production even during cold winters without active heating.

In China, cherry tomatoes are not just a vegetable; they are widely enjoyed as a fresh dessert, making flavor and sweetness the most critical market drivers.

Some varieties in the market can achieve over 12 Brix .

SAIS is now strengthening its presence in Chinese market through a strategic collaboration with Cinobowo , a Chinese service company specialized in variety registration and plant variety protection.

Miss Yangmey Duan , Cinobowo’s CEO   ( in the picture ) shared as follows :

“ It is a professional gratification for me to offer our services to SAIS. The cherry varieties currently under trial and promotion are confirming a flavor profile and brux level that meet Chinese market standards even if in the market exist also varieties having mango flavor .

Furthermore, SAIS varieties stand out for their high productivity, resistance to cracking, disease resistance, and long shelf life.” .

SAIS is currently in the phase of defining the strategies and commercial partnerships .

Varieties  like Pralyna, Dolcetto, Joyello, Confit , Yup along with codes such as 121SA870, showed promise and are being closely monitored.

Pralyna F1

Yup F1

While the market for red cherry tomatoes remains highly competitive, there is a growing interest in specialty high flavor types, such as green cherry tomatoes (“ Tienry “ type), in addition to  yellow , orange , chocolate , purple , striped , etc.  in different size and shape .