Leftover Italian product becomes Belgian top product
Left: “First vine tomato” : Grower Jan Smets supplies the first vine tomatoes in 1993. Right: “10 years of vine tomatoes" : The pioneers, Sonja and Jan Smets, blow out ten candles with crop advisor Devisch.
Jan Smets introduces the Belgian vine tomato in a month
"I immediately listened to my crop advisor's advice," says Jan Smets of Sint-Katelijne-Waver. As then-president of the Board of Directors of the auction, he was acutely aware of the market. "The European tomato sector was in a deep dip at the beginning of the 90's. There was overproduction, little diversity and the quality of import products was sometimes lacking. I know something had to be done to turn the tide and I could see a future in this innovation."Flandria and the Belgian horticulture