Angri sun on the Italian table

It seems that the Viceroy of Peru gifted the first San Marzano tomato plants to a fellow countryman, both of Spanish origin, the King of Naples: we are talking ca. 1770, so this is a variety of tomato that arrived in Europe relatively late. The name San Marzano derives from the fact that, following numerous attempts, the king's agronomists found the ideal volcanic humus and the optimum climatic conditions in the so-called San Marzano sul Sarno soils to make this plant habitable to the heights and the temperate climates of the Andes. However, despite the relatively young age, San Marzano, as we are accustomed to knowing it in Europe, had a particularly troubled history: during the 20th century, the original genetic strain of San Marzano was extinct by a virgin. Plants that now fall into the DOP category have managed to recover much of the genetic heritage of the original plant.

The San Marzano Tomato is harvested between 30th July and 30th September each year, and harvesting must be carried out exclusively by hand. These provisions are contained in the transferring device of the Denomination of Origin Protection.
Annual production generally varies between 80,000 and 100,000 quintals.