The cultivation acreage of table-use tomato was 4,359 ha in 2012. Large tomato (>= 150 g/fruit) is used for vegetable, the cultivation acreage is 2,500 ha/yr with a total of 70,000-80,000 tons of fruit. Most of them were grown in Nantou, Yuinlin and Changhua. “Black persimon” was the major large tomato variety in the early growing years. “Beef tomato” became popular in the recent years, and the acreage is over black persimon. The production season is from December to May of the following year, most of them are grown in open field. Cultivation in protected facilities plus the use of nutrition solution by drip-irrigation can promote fruit quality and decrease the use of pesticides, and can stabilize the production.

Cherry tomato (10-20 g/fruit) is found with a variety of flavors and colors. It is also high in antioxidants and vitamins. Therefore, most of the cherry tomato was used as a fruit for table-use. The acreage was ca. 1900 ha in 2012, and most of them were planted in the open field in Chiayi, followed by Kaohsiung and Tainan. Cultivation in protected facilities was centralized in Chiayi and Yuinlin.

In cooperation with AVRDC – The World Vegetable Center, the station has released heat-tolerant cherry tomato Tainan-ASVEG No.6 and No.11, and Tomato leaf curl virus-resistant variety Tainan-ASVEG No.19. They are can be planted in summer. The Station also has released two yellow cherry tomato varieties Tainan #12 and #24. They are the first yellow ones released by government, with characteristics of high sugar content and high fruit firmness. Ongoing tomato breeding focuses on multiple flesh colors, resistance to Tomato leaf curl virus and root-knot nematode, and the production techniques in protected facilities.