THE DEVELOPMENT OF A TOMATO CROP MECHANIZATION SYSTEM FOR EASTERN EUROPE

In 1970–71 work was begun on several farms in Romania, Hungary and Yugoslavia. Initially a standard "California System", using a basic 1970 California machine line and mostly California varieties, with the addition of some early, rain resistant north U.S. varieties, was introduced. Some modifications in the technology and machine line were made in this introduction to accommodate the different environmental and geographic conditions known to prevail in the region.

During the period 1972 through 1974 FMC International expanded its cooperation to include more collective farms and kombinats in Hungary and Yugoslavia and began work in Bulgaria. Many modifications to the original mechanization system and crop production technology were found to be necessary and were introduced.

From 1975 until present the program expanded to include Moldavia in the Soviet Union and further changes were introduced into the production system to make this system more suitable and effective in the East European climatic soil, geographic, social and economic environment.

Listed below are the major features of the East European mechanized tomato production system in the latest state of evolution and the most important ways in which these features have been changed from the original "standard California" introduction.

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