{"id":205752,"date":"2022-06-24T13:39:18","date_gmt":"2022-06-24T11:39:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=205752"},"modified":"2022-06-24T13:39:20","modified_gmt":"2022-06-24T11:39:20","slug":"relax-komo-news-tomatoes-and-ketchup-supplies-are-secure-amid-climate-change","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=205752","title":{"rendered":"Relax, KOMO News, Tomatoes and Ketchup Supplies Are Secure Amid Climate Change"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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KOMO News in Seattle, as well as a couple of other media outlets in the region, ran stories claiming climate change threatens global tomato and ketchup production. Data show this is false. Amid modest warming, tomato production and yields have grown considerably across the world as a whole and in each of the top producing countries. Many tomatoes are grown in greenhouses, which add carbon dioxide their atmospheres. Tomato growth outside of greenhouses confirm the continuing benefits of carbon dioxide fertilization.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A KOMO article, titled \u201cScientists predict future ketchup shortage as climate change damages crops<\/a>,\u201d cites a study<\/a> from an international team of researchers using computer models whose simulations indicate tomato production, particularly the production of tomatoes used to produce ketchup is likely to decline due to climate change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cResearchers believe warmer temperatures will speed up the plant\u2019s growth cycle, resulting in a shorter time for the crop to develop,\u201d writes KOMO. \u201cThey predict a 6% decline in tomato production by 2050; but between 2050 and 2100 the global tomato harvest could be cut in half.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Had KOMO and the research team examined real world data, for example, data from field and greenhouse experiments and from the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), they would have found little to worry about. Tomato production is doing well. Also, contrary to computer model simulations, real world research trials and experiments indicate should carbon dioxide levels continue to increase tomato production should as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Concerning the latter point, dozens of papers and experiments summarized and discussed at CO2Science.org<\/a> show that tomato production, like that of most plants, improves as carbon dioxide is added to the atmosphere. The CO2 fertilization effect improves photosynthesis in tomatoes, helping them grow faster, produce heartier plants, and use water more efficiently.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Data from the FAO confirms<\/a> the experimental findings. Since 1990 tomato production and yields in China, India, and the United States, the top three tomato producing countries<\/a>, and for the world as a whole, has grown considerably, tracking the modest rise in atmospheric carbon dioxide and temperature over the period. Between 1990 and 2020 (See the figure below):<\/p>\n\n\n\n