Food - Drink
This State Grows More Eggplant Than Any Other In The US
By CLAIRE REDDEN
Eggplants come in various colors and sizes, and their diversity matches the variety of ways the fruit is prepared around the globe. Eggplants are widely grown across the United States, and this particular state is the top producer of eggplants in the country.
New Jersey harvests 849 acres of eggplant each year, reaching 900 or more bushels a day during peak season, and stands ahead of other leading producers like California, Florida, and Georgia. Nicknamed "The Garden State," the state's well-draining sandy-loam soil and warm summers provide the perfect conditions for eggplants to thrive.
New Jersey yields about 16 million pounds of eggplant annually, valued at $6 million. With the majority grown in South New Jersey, most of the state's eggplants are shipped to the rest of the U.S. and Canada, and its varieties include Italian, regular, Sicilian, Indian, striped, white, and fairy tale eggplants.