This is the most profitable tomato farming in Kenya definitive guide with all information and answers to guide you on tomato farming in Kenya. Be it you want to start a commercial tomato farm or tomato farming for domestic purposes this guide is prepared specifically for you. Before venturing into tomato farming in Kenya there are some of the questions you have been asking yourself we intend to answer all of these questions in this guide;
- Areas
where tomato farming is done in Kenya?
- How
many kilograms of tomatoes can one acre of land produce?
- How to
start a tomato farm
- How
profitable is tomato farming in Kenya
- tomato
pests and diseases in Kenya
- What
is the best fertilizer for tomato farming?
- Which
is the best month for growing tomatoes
- How
long does it take for tomatoes to mature
- Tomato
seed rate per acre in Kenya
- What
is the market for tomatoes in Kenya
- Tomato
varieties in Kenya
HOW TO GROW TOMATOES IN KENYA
PLANTING
Consider the following actions and ecological requirements
for tomato farming, soil should be deep well drained loam soil, water should be
available in the area where tomatoes are to be planted if not consider the
installation of water tanks, the area where tomatoes are to be planted should
be gently sloping land. It is also important to note that tomatoes cannot be
planted immediately at the land where potatoes or peppers have been planted.
Tomatoes are normally grown from seedlings.
We now step into the next step which is seedlings
preparation.
TOMATO NURSERY
Prepare a raised nursery bed of 1 m width and to the length
of your convenience, add farmyard manure and mix with the soil on the nursery
bed. Prepare furrow like lines across the nursery bed with a suitable spacing
between rows now sow the seedlings from the sachet and cover with uniform light
soil. During this period mulch the nursery bed as continuous watering and
weeding continues until the period of transplanting. Mulch can be removed as
soon as the seedlings appear around 8 to 10 days. Transplanting to the actual
land is done after 4 to 5 weeks
Transplanting is done in the evening where seedlings are
uprooted from the nursery with a lump of soil in their roots. Seedlings should
be planted in a well prepared land free from weeds. Holes in the actual field
should be with spacing of 60 to 45
Plant the seedlings with a handful of compost or farmyard
manure, phosphate fertilizer can be applied at the base for root development
and CAN fertilizer can also be used as a top dresser to aid in leaf development
Flowering of tomatoes begin at 5 weeks after transplanting
FARM PRACTICES FOR TOMATOES
As your tomatoes continues to mature on the farm regular
farm practices continue
TOMATO SUPPORT. This is done by using light poles on
each plant where tomatoes are tied using a string to follow the poles upwards.
This increases productivity of tomatoes, avoid stem damage during support
PRUNNING: this is the removal of side shoots and
suckers also yellow and wilted plants should be pruned
Soil conditioning: This is done by application of
manure to the soil this is done in moderation too much nutrients or too little
nutrients may damage your tomato plantation
Weeding: this is the removal of unwanted plants on
the area where you may have grown your tomatoes. Weeds harm the proper growth
of the tomatoes
Monitoring: this is done by frequently checking for
pest and diseases. Some pests may invest in potatoes making it necessary for
integration of pest management practices
PESTS AFFECTING TOMATOES INCLUDE: American bollworm,
DISEASES: Tomato blight, Bacterial wilt, Blossom end rot.
By following the farm practices of tomato farming, within a
matter of weeks your tomatoes should be growing vigorously and rapidly.
HARVESTING OF TOMATOES
when the tomatoes produce ripe fruits first harvesting is ready this is
always at 70 days after planting depending on variety and ecological
conditions. To facilitate proper harvesting of tomatoes, fruits should be
picked carefully to avoid damaging the plant.
MARKETTING
After successfully harvesting your tomatoes you are now
ready for marketing after storage in crates. Tomatoes are sold in kilograms to
various market around Kenya
An acre of tomato plantation can produce up to 30 to 35 tons
of tomatoes under good maintenance and 1kg of tomato 2021 in Kenya costs up to
150-300kshs which varies according to time and availability. This should proof
how profitable is tomato farming in Kenya.
There is always ready market for your tomatoes in Kenya you can market tomatoes in schools and institutions, fast food chains, hotels and open air markets.
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