See How To Start A Succesful Tomato Farm

Even as Nigeria makes plans to diversify its revenue base away from
oil, many have failed to tap into the agricultural sector. One of such
opportunities, to be found in the agricultural sector, and to utilize
efficiently this year, is tomato farming.

Tomato is one of the most important vegetable crops grown all over
Nigeria. In Nigeria, the tomato is regarded as the most important
vegetable after onions and pepper.

Nigeria ranks as the 16th largest tomato producing nation in the
world and has a comparative advantage and potential to lead the world in
tomato production and exports.  The production of tomatoes in Nigeria
in 2010  was about  1.8 million metric tons, which accounts for about
68.4% of West Africa, 10.8% of Africa’s total output and  1.28% of world
output.

There are two part of tomato farming you can go into if interested; both tomato processing and tomato production.

 Here Are Materials Needed For Setting up A Tomato Farm:

A Farmland:  To start a tomato farm, you would need a
wide area for farming. You may be starting out at the back of your
house. You need to have a dedicated farmland to cultivate your tomato
crops.

Tomato seeds: Choose the right varieties of tomato
seeds that can be easily cultivated in Nigeria. Sow seeds thinly into
small, round, plastic pots filled with soil-less seed-sowing compost. As
most tomatoes seeds are not directly buried in the ground but are later
transferred to the farmland.

A Good Irrigation System: Your tomatoes need to grow
in a highly regulated watered environment. Tomato has a fair resistant
to moderate drought, ensure the irrigation can work effectively for the
cultivation of the plant.  Make sure that  you pour water into the soil
and not the plant.

Fertilizers: Sometimes the farmlands are not
suitable to grow tomato crops, which is when you will need to fertilize
the soil to achieve maximum growth. This is essential for the crop’s
full and healthy maturity.