节前看市场：记者探访“菜篮子”生产基地

Supply and Market Conditions - The supply of essential food products, referred to as "菜篮子" (vegetable basket), "米袋子" (rice bag), and "果盘子" (fruit plate), is currently sufficient and diverse, with stable prices overall [1] - As of early April, the area of vegetables planted nationwide reached 83.25 million acres, an increase of 1.58 million acres, representing a growth of 1.9% year-on-year [1] Regional Production Insights - Shouguang in Shandong Province is a significant facility vegetable production base, currently in the harvesting season for various types of "colorful tomatoes" [3] - The modern greenhouses in Shouguang are showcasing a variety of small tomatoes, including red, orange, and yellow, indicating a concentrated market supply period [5] Nutritional Value and Market Dynamics - Different colored tomatoes have varying nutritional values, with red tomatoes being high in lycopene, while yellow and orange tomatoes are rich in carotenoids, and purple tomatoes contain high levels of anthocyanins [7] - The planting area for tomatoes in Shouguang's Gucheng Street is currently 35,000 acres, with a peak production of 260,000 tons being distributed nationwide [9] Price Trends - The Shouguang Agricultural Products Logistics Park serves as a major national wholesale market, providing a vegetable price index that acts as a "barometer" for national vegetable prices [11] - Recent data indicates a seasonal decline in the vegetable price index, reflecting market dynamics [11]