Here in this post, we are going to discuss best tomatoes planting season in Nigeria. We hope you find this informative and educating.
Tomatoes is eaten by Nigerians every day hence, Tomatoes farming is a very profitable business, and it is easy to grow tomatoes and market same in Nigeria.
The question is what is the best Tomatoes planting season in Nigeria? In this article, I will try to answer the above question. Continue reading and find out what season is the best for planting tomatoes.
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This country, Nigeria is one of the leading countries that has an insatiable taste for tomatoes. Thus, Tomatoes is used almost everywhere in Nigeria.
In every Nigerian cuisine, you will find this red-cheeked ingredient, called Tomatoes. Tomatoes can be consumed fresh, and can be consumed boiled, and sometimes fried and it can be tinned also.
Tomatoes can be processed to have Tomatoes paste, and Tomatoes puree, and Tomatoes ketchup, and Tomatoes juice and Tomatoes sauces among others.
Tomatoes Cultivation
Tomatoes can be cultivated in greenhouses and also in hot houses. It can be planted on bare soil. Tomatoes are one of the sought-after crops, and can quickly be sold in the markets.
This however, has explained why Nigerian farmers are cultivating tomatoes in larger quantities and also sell them in great quantities. In fact, Tomatoes farming is a profitable business, that anybody can involved in. Now let us get to the real business.
Tomatoes Can Be Grown All Year Round in Nigeria
Before you cultivate tomatoes, there must be preparation for seeds sowing. Nigeria, as a country, has a favourable landmass for tomatoes cultivation.
The reasons are obvious! Nigeria’s climate suits just perfect and favourable for tomatoes cultivation. Hence, tomatoes can be grown all year round in Nigeria.
During Wet Season, Tomatoes cultivation Is Done Via Greenhouse And Rain-fed Varieties:
Subsequently a good number of tomatoes farmers do not actually owned facilities such as, greenhouses and/or rain-fed varieties for tomatoes cultivation during the wet season, because, for example, local varieties do not suitable for rain-fed. That is why there is scarcity of tomatoes during the rainy season.
Dry Season Favours Tomatoes cultivation:
The local varieties are suitable for cultivation during dry season. The dry season tomatoes cultivation normally favours the local varieties, since the evening or nights will be somehow cooler because the lower mist from the air will be humid.
Subsequently, growing tomatoes crops during the wet season will be difficult, since heat will be trapped in the moisture and accordingly, the soil temperature will be high, therefore, making the varieties available with the farmers difficult to cultivate.
Rain-fed Seasons Does Not Favour Tomatoes cultivation:
There is a enough evidence that, tomatoes cultivation in Nigeria is done largely via irrigation in many states in the northern part of the Nigeria over the years.
Hence, quite a number of tomatoes farmers could not afford to grow tomatoes, that is widely consumed in the country in green houses, especially when it comes to the rain-fed season.
Kadawa irrigation valley, for example in Kano StateĀ is one of the areas occupied by the largest number of tomatoes farmers, who cultivated during dry season.
More so, quite appreciable number of tomatoes producers are also found in places, such as, Katsina, and Kaduna, and Sokoto, and Jigawa as well as, Plateau states, including some pockets areas spread across other states.
Mira Mehta, who is the Chief Executive Officer, Tomato Jos Farming and Processing, a tomatoes processing factory, that is currently involving in the tomatoes production and processing by Kangima Dam in Kaduna state, has also confirmed that they, as a company are unable to produce during the period of rain-fed season, given the reason related to the cost of production.
Even though the company is using a variety that is called E8400, gotten from a United State company by name, BHN, which of course, is a variety that is high-yielding, is also not suitable for the wet season.
Priority Can Be Given To The Season Of Rains:
I have said here that Tomatoes can be cultivated all year round in Nigeria because of the country’s favourable climate, but there is exception. It only happen, when there is an irrigation system or a tomatoes farmers may give priority to the season of rains.
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Insufficient Wet Soil Hardly Favours Tomatoes Cultivation:
Insufficient wet soil hardly favours Tomatoes cultivation. Where the soil does not has sufficient water, tomatoes can hardly grow or develop.
One of the toughest times for tomatoes farmers, is when tomatoes plants start to shoot out flowers and during fruit inception! So, the recommendation is that tomatoes should be watered, but not so often, rather, it should be watered in larger doses preferably on cloudy days or/and at nights.
Best Planting Season Is Dependent On the Right Choice Of Seeds:
It is true that, Nigeria’s climate favours tomatoes cultivation, but the future tomatoes harvest will be determined by making the right choice of tomatoes seeds, as well as, their sowing preparation.
Tomatoes farmer must pick big, and heavy and nutrient-rich tomatoes species; the reason is that, this will help in making tomatoes strong, and will also make it more resistant to any kind of illness, together in coping with changing conditions of weather.
Constant Humidity Favours Tomatoes Development:
Constant Humidity favours tomatoes growth and development. This is so vital in order to help in the development of tomatoes plant! You can achieve this through a special film and or through some organic remnants such as, weeds, and manure and hay.
During the time of fruit inception as well as the time of active growing, water doses ought to be increased, if rain has not fallen. And watering should be weekly, at least 5 liters of water per tomatoes plant. During the bearing time, tomatoes will need more moisture, and then, it is expected of the farmer to water the plants twice a week.
Conclusion
Nigeria is one of the leading countries that has an insatiable taste for tomatoes. Thus, Tomatoes is used almost everywhere in Nigeria. In every Nigerian cuisine, you will find this red-cheeked ingredient, called Tomatoes.
Tomatoes can be consumed fresh, and can be consumed boiled, and sometimes fried and it can be tinned also. Tomatoes can be processed to have Tomatoes paste, and Tomatoes puree, and Tomatoes ketchup, and Tomatoes juice and Tomatoes sauces among others. Hence, the best tomatoes planting season in Nigeria is the dry season.