Tomato commercial farming is profitable in India. Tomatoes originated in Peru, South America, but they are now essential for commercial farming in India. After the potato, the tomato is the world’s second most important crop. The fruits, which can be eaten raw or cooked, are high in vitamin A, C, minerals, and potassium. People can use tomatoes to make soup, juice, ketchup, and powder. The primary tomato producers are Bihar, Karnataka, UP, Orissa, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, MP, and West Bengal. Furthermore, the districts of Amritsar, Ropar, Jalandhar, and Hoshiarpur are major tomato producers in Punjab.
Tomato Commercial Farming Tricks
We expect you have understood the importance of commercial tomato farming in India. So, let’s go over how to farm step by step.
Climate Prerequisite
The ideal temperature for tomato cultivation is between 10 and 25°C. For better yield production, rainfall should range between 400 and 600 mm. Temperatures must be between 10-15°C during sowing. Furthermore, a harvesting temperature of 15-25°C is ideal for increased yield.
Soil Requirements
We can grow tomatoes in a variety of soil types, including sandy loam, clay, red, and black soil, with a sound drainage system. It will produce the most or yield the best results when grown in well-drained sandy soil. Moreover, you should treat the field with high organic content manure for the best results. Furthermore, soil pH levels ranging from 7 to 8.5 are suitable for tomato cultivation. Tomatoes are one of the crops that can grow in moderately acidic and saline soil. Light soil can produce early crops, while silt-loam and clay loam soils produce a high yield.
Tomato Varieties That Are Popular
There are several tomato varieties available in India, each of which grows in a different location, climate, and rainfall conditions. We have some of them with us, and they are as follows:
- Punjab Ratta – 225 QTL/acre
- Punjab Upma – 220 QTL/acre
- Keekruth Ageti
- Punjab Tropic – 90 to 95 QTL/acre
- Punjab Red cherry – 430 to 440 QTL/acre
- Keekruth
- Punjab NR -7 – 175 to 180 QTL/acre
- Punjab Varkha Bahar 1 – 215 QTL/acre
- Swarna Sampada Hybrid – 400 to 420 QTL/acre
- Punjab Varkha Bahar 2 – 215 QTL/acre
- Punjab Sona Cherry – 425 QTL/acre
- Swarna Baibhav Hybrid – 360 to 400 QTL/acre
- Punjab Swarna – 1087 QTL/acre
- Punjab Kesar Cherry – 405 QTL/acre
- HS 102
- Punjab Kesari Cherry – 405 QTL/acre
- Punjab Varkha Bahar-4 – 245 QTL/acre
- HS 101
- Punjab Gaurav – 934 QTL/acre
- Punjab Swarna – 1087 QTL/acre
- TH-1 – 245 QTL/acre
- Punjab Chhuhara – 325 QTL/acre
- Punjab Sartaj – 898 QTL/acre, etc.
Preparation of Land
In India, pulverised and levelled soil is ideal for tomato cultivation. To bring the earth to its fine tilth, plough it four to five times. Furthermore, you should buy or rent a good tractor for this operation, to save money. If you can not afford it, then you can take the help of a tractor loan. Plank the field after each ploughing operation to level the ground.
Furthermore, you should incorporate high-quality organic manure such as cow dung and others at the final ploughing. In addition, you must create a raised bed of soil for the tomato plantation. Raised beds with a width of 80-90cm are ideal for the plantation. To increase the temperature and kill the pathogen, cover the beds with transparent plastic film.
Sowing
Tomato planting begins in late November, and transplanting begins in the second two weeks of January for the spring season in northern states. For the autumn crop, however, sowing begins in August and transplanting begins in August – September. In hilly areas, sowing begins in March-April, and transplanting begins in April-May. Aside from that, you should provide 60x30cm, 75x60cm, or 75x75cm of space depending on the growth habit, variety, and uses. In addition, for the rainy season, the area should be 120-150 x 30cm. Sow the seeds in the soil at a depth of 4cm and cover them with soil. Moreover, you can sow the seeds with the help of good tractors. Apart from this, for your operations, you can get a Personal Loan for your operations.
Irrigation
According to the soil moisture, you should rinse the field every 6 to 7 days in winter and 10 to 15 days in summer. Heavy watering can cause the fruits to crack and the flowers to fall. According to the research, half-inch irrigation every two weeks can maximise root penetration and yield.
Harvesting
The plants begin to yield after 70 days of the plantation. And the harvesting operations vary depending on the use, such as fresh market product, long-term use, export, etc. As a result, you should harvest when 1/4th of the portion of the fruit turns pink for transportation or long-distance market. Harvest fruits for the local market when they are completely red or pink.
This was comprehensive information on commercial tomato farming in India. Stay tuned for more details.