In this Thursday, Jan. 4, 2018 photo, small yellow and red "drop tomatoes" are spawning new recipes at a restaurant in Tel Aviv, Israel. The “drop tomato” is about the size of a blueberry and Israel’s Kedma company in the southern Arava desert says it is the smallest one ever developed in Israel, perhaps even in the world.
In this Thursday, Jan. 4, 2018 photo, small yellow and red "drop tomatoes" are spawning new recipes at a restaurant in Tel Aviv, Israel. The “drop tomato” is about the size of a blueberry and Israel’s Kedma company in the southern Arava desert says it is the smallest one ever developed in Israel, perhaps even in the world. Ariel Schalit AP Photo
In this Thursday, Jan. 4, 2018 photo, small yellow and red "drop tomatoes" are spawning new recipes at a restaurant in Tel Aviv, Israel. The “drop tomato” is about the size of a blueberry and Israel’s Kedma company in the southern Arava desert says it is the smallest one ever developed in Israel, perhaps even in the world. Ariel Schalit AP Photo

Israeli company says it has developed tiniest cherry tomato

January 08, 2018 01:08 AM

UPDATED 4 MINUTES AGO

In the succulent world of cherry tomatoes, one Israeli company is going smaller than ever before.

The Kedma company in the country's southern Arava desert has developed the "drop tomato," about the size of a blueberry — the smallest ever cultivated in Israel, perhaps even in the world.

It's a point of pride in a country known for its agricultural innovation, where fruits and vegetables are taken seriously and where several strands of the cherry tomato were first invented.

The seed, originally developed in Holland, was modified to match the arid growing conditions in southern Israel. Rami Golan, of the Central and Northern Arava Research and Development center, who accompanied the project, says it's definitely the smallest to be ever grown in Israel — where tomatoes are incredibly popular.

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