All-year-round tomato farming in Nigeria is a very lucrative business, especially in the non-season period, when the cost of tomatoes can double.
The tomato farming business does not require large financial investment, therefore, it is considered to be very attractive!
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1. Advantages of tomato farming in Nigeria as a business:
- High price. Quality tomatoes are quite expensive, so selling them is a very profitable business!
- High demand. Fresh vegetables are always in demand because almost everybody likes tomatoes!
- Small competition. Large producers are busy increasing the volume of products without caring about the taste. Pay attention to this and the demand for your product will be high despite the competition!
2. How to start tomato farming in Nigeria: rent some land
An excellent option would be the countryside or the area outside the city, closer to fresh air and away from similar rural farms-competitors.
The land must be fertile. There should be a water source nearby since tomatoes require watering, especially in times of drought.
3. How to plant tomatoes in Nigeria: buying seedlings, growing and caring
Usually in spring seedlings are inexpensive at the market: on average one plant will cost you around $0.20.
The most popular varieties are the following:
- Cherry;
- Beefsteak;
- Sauce;
- Sauce (Roma).
Distinctive features of good tomatoes:
- Thick peel;
- Large sizes;
- Sugary taste.
You can harvest up to 50/100 tomatoes from one plant at a time. Grow strong plants and observe a distance of 30-40 cm between them. Tomatoes should be fertilized with humus or manure, which greatly affects the crops!
It is necessary to water them as soon as the ground dries out, at least, once a week, right under the root, with large volumes of water, but infrequently – this helps to strengthen the root system, its growth, and branching.
It also important to protect the plants from harsh weather conditions: to maintain growth tomatoes require a certain temperature, humidity, and protection from wind and precipitation. For this purpose, use greenhouses.
4. Necessary equipment and personnel
Tomato farming does not require a large initial investment. All you need is equipment for irrigation, containers for harvesting and storing crops, greenhouses. The number of employees depends on the size of the land plot.
5. Harvesting the crops
Leave the tomatoes on the plant until they are firm and deep red in color. If they fall off before they fully ripen you can store them in a cool dry place until they do. If you need to freeze them, place them in a special freezer bags.
After defrosting, their peel will come off easily and they can be processed into a puree or a sauce.
6. Sales and profit
The profit depends on the competently managed sales. Sign profitable contracts for the supply of products: sell tomatoes in bulk in supermarkets, restaurants, sanatoriums. Open a stall in the market.
2 lbs of tomatoes in Lagos cost around ₦898. This number has recently grown in the majority of markets according to a survey made by News Agency of Nigeria in the second half of April.
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