CHALLENGES ENCOUNTERED IN TOMATO FARMING

Tomato is beneficial for consumption as well as for financial gains. Which makes it very rewarding when everything is done well. However, unforeseen situations can lead to one or more factors that can influence the success or failure of a tomato farm.

In this article, we have listed basic challenges encountered in tomato farming. This will help you recognize and understand the challenges associated with farming tomatoes.

1. INPUT COST

This involves the cost of seeds or seedlings, fertilizer, labor, acquisition of knowledge (most especially if you’re just starting out and need to undergo training), etc.

At some point, your input cost might spike up due to economic impact. This alone is a challenge that might hamper maximum returns.

2. WEED INFESTATION

As you know, weeds are unwanted plants a farmer can do without. They grow vigorously and managing them can be quite demanding.

It is advisable to combat weeds early enough, better still before you start planting to avoid outbreak of pests and diseases. As well as competition for nutrients between your crops and the weeds.

3. PEST AND DISEASE INFESTATION

Pest and diseases are a major downfall of a thriving farm. Once pests set in, diseases follow and that can be total chaos.

Best approach is to combat them early enough to avoid the havoc they’ll eventually cause.

4. DISORDERS

Disorders may arise due to nutrient deficiencies or inadequate water supply. This goes a long way to determine the quality of fruits you will eventually produce.

Some of these disorders include, blossom end rot, splits, cracking of tomato fruits and the rest. All these can be challenging but can be avoided or managed once you are proactive.

5. NATURAL DISASTERS

Natural phenomena are unforeseen circumstances that a farmer doesn’t plan for but it could occur at some point. These include the likes of heavy winds, heavy rainfall, floods, high temperature, drought etc.

All these could pose a threat to the success of a tomato farm. Like we talked about being proactive, make preparations for such disasters bearing in mind that whatever comes can be managed. You can plant in bags for instance or mulch, set up a green house etc.

6. MARKETING

The ultimate goal of any commercial tomato farmer is to make good returns for his/her labour.

If the marketing of the tomatoes harvest doesn’t go well, it becomes a challenge to the farmer.

So before you even embark on the journey of farming tomatoes, do a proper market survey. Also take to understand the market price at the time you’re harvesting so as to know how to cost and sell your tomatoes for good returns.

It is no doubt many other challenges in tomato farming exist but these few will go a long way to help you understand what to expect when venturing into tomato farming.

Remember, one way we can know if this article has informed you is by getting a feedback from you. Kindly share with us your opinion or rather any challenges you’ve encountered before and how you were able to manage it.