overview of the greenhouse gh vegetable industry focus on tomatoes by roberta cook department agricultural and resource economics university california davis september 11 2006 for ir 4 project grown food crops workshop pest control 6 011 09 51n a central s america 260 020 051 350 n 900 0 112 92 665 10 500 01 168 6639 430 world total 80 050 66 682africa middle east 400 0171 528 922 europe 000 0926 02 476 asia estimated global covered horticultural area 2004 1000 hectares plastic large tunnels glass mulching small source rabobank vegetables region us ag census results 2002 veg 579 50 since vs 370 in 1997 but this is under or other protection so may include some shade house while precise statistics don t exist we know that production are increasing with vast majority developed market within canada started first followed it increasingly american has been saturating at retail