Today Ssentamu’s tomato project is among the largest in Busukuma village. I have tried to plant other types of tomatoes (varieties). The father of six children, however, says growing such crops requires a lot of supervision and labour. He has managed to educate his children. The key tomato players in the country are as follows: (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Span House Advice to farmers The process include, getting tomato seeds, determining their viability, ensuring that your soil is of the required state to grow your tomatoes. Tomatoes are an annual vegetable that takes around 75 days from transplanting to first harvest. Productive heirloom tomato varieties will produce 20 pounds or more of salable tomatoes, worth about $80 at retail prices. Seeds are raised before one month of planting seedlings on the ground with 60 to 90 cm width spacing with convenient length. It is important to note that prices can go as high as Shs400, 000 per bag. The demand for tomato comes from the following areas. The production process involved in a tomato farming business is basically the same from the point of planting to the point of harvesting. If you are new to growing these tasty tomatoes, you … It is comprised of 14 topics on tomato, including history of tomato production, cultural practices, pest management, harvesting, handling and marketing. Start planting. Growing high breed tomatoes. Garlic is a high value horticultural crop. Juma sprays his tomatoes with pesticide. Varieties for Tomatoes in Uganda Growing a garden for profit is something that definitely needs to be kept simple. It is important to note that tomatoes grown under Greenhouse are of a better quality than ordinary ones because they are grown in a controlled environment, Market for Tomatoes Diseases, pests and high costs to combat them, Limited funds to improve farm productivity, Dependency on rainfall which leads to seasonality in production, Lack of  effective transport to distant markets, National Agricultural Research Organisation (NARO) located on Entebbe, Ministry of Agriculture Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF), Agribusiness development centre located in Kampala, Horticulture Exporters Association (HORTEXA), Agribusiness Development Centre located in Kampala, Britannia Allied Industrial Ltd located in Kampala, Kawanda Agricultural Research Institute (KARI) located in Kampala, Uganda National Farmers Federation (UNFFE and NGO) located on Nakasero road in Kampala, Uganda Spices Producers Association (NGO) Baumann House Parliamentary Avenue. Ssentamu also faces a challenge from the high cost of pesticides and unpredictable weather like this season the rainy season has been long and this has destroyed his crops like pumpkins and cabbages. true They produce best when daytime temperatures are between 70 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit and nighttime temperatures are above 60 or 65 degrees Fahrenheit. Agribusiness is increasingly becoming lucrative in Uganda. He usually plants seedlings on February 1 so that the crop can be ready at May and the next crop on August 8 to time the crop for December. Phone: +256 787564567 Analysis - I am Geoffrey Ssemujju, 30, a resident of Kaazi village in Kayunga Sub-county, Kayunga District. Kampala, Uganda Bell Pepper Growing (Capsicum) Information. The tree … Garlic farming. Tomatoes production in Ghana has reached levels in the region of 400,000 metric tonnes while the consumption is way above that. It’s important to first get the market for your tomatoes because without a dependable market huge losses are many. All the above can be controlled using both natural and artificial measures including the use of specialised pesticides like Dithane and Dursban. “I always do this such that I don’t want to lose any nutrients from the soil”, he says. By Umar Nsubuga The plant responds well to organic fertilizers too. Tomato Crop. 2. At an average farm gate price of Shs150, 000 per bag, a farmer will bank a gross profit of over Shs21m. Profitable Quail Farming Business For Beginners. Once it is done pot up young tomato plants in small sized pots. Started by Mira Mehta and co-founder — Shane Kiernan — in 2014, Tomato Jos is a social business that’s working hard to… If you're thinking about growing tomatoes for profit, now is the time to jump in. Basil is a popular herb used in tons of different dishes. He has started to benefit from his sweats “I used to work with my wife without any other man power but now I can get causal workers”, he adds. All Rights Reserved. Tag: Green Pepper Growing In Uganda. You need to be in the garden all the time and this is what I have been doing since I started this business. Otwell grows about 2,000 tomato plants, which produce about 35,000 pounds per year, in her three greenhouses near Dubach, La. Tomatoes are grown as a sole crop intercropping is not advisable, It  a food crop which is used in many cooking recipes. Alternately you can plant them in the filed but maintain them when they are ready to produce tomatoes. That is how good business is. You can have small greenhouse too where propagation of t… “I prefer using traditional methods than chemicals because some are not of good standards”, he says P.O. Peak production is reached after 1-3 years, and the life expectancy is about 12 years. He plans to buy a motor cycle. Finally shift them into greenhouse beds and plantthem on large size pots. Best option is using shallow seed boxes and pricking out seedlings into the beds on stages. After some few months, i harvested and the results were good in just quarter an acre”, he narrates. Besides regular weeding and mulching, he uses chicken dropouts (kalimbwe) and mixes it with water after a week, he irrigates all the young tomatoes to boost soil fertility. “I realised I could earn more money if I expand this project because I have almost six acres”, Ssentamu says. His vision is to have the largest tomato project on his village. The standard spacing for tomatoes is 18 inches. Tomatoes can be grown in the smallest of spaces. Since he set his foot in the garden, he has not moved back. Debbie Otwell has learned tomatoes can be as profitable as they are tasty. Ssentamu says extension workers are not coming to visit them yet they get different pests sometimes affects his crops yet they need experts. How to Grow Tomato Seedlings. Even if you are not planning to get a loan, you should still get a tomato farming business plan to guide you in starting and operating the business. What You Need to Know About Growing Tomatoes Commercially Tomatoes are immensely popular, and there are plenty of varieties that can make you a steady profit. In this year, I have really convinced that this project may be more profitable. Copyright © 2013 byFOA Team. Garlic is loved … Seeds should be planted indoor 6-8 weeks before they are ready to transplant to the … He says he is using traditional methods to maintain his project. After the first sale in quarter an acre, his brain had been opened. Profitable Tomato Farming in Kenya: BY SMART HARVEST – Nicholas Njagi’s seven acre tomato farm located in Igamba-ng’ombe, Tharaka Nithi County, produces 400 boxes of tomatoes per acre and this season is no different. If you are looking for a high-value specialty crop that can produce an income in the first … Tomatoes are among the vegetable crop grown by small scale farmers for both home use and domestic markets and can be grown all year round. He started with quarter an acre of tomatoes but he has expanded his project to two acres. The total cash spent is estimated at Ksh 125,000 (From nursery all the way to harvesting minus irrigation equipment). However, after thinking deeply, Ssentamu decided to leave Kalerwe market where he was working with Bevamuntuyo maize factory and went back to his home village in Busukuma in Wakiso district. 70 private equity firms seek local partner... Not yet Uhuru for Ugandan women entrepreneurs, Women told not to depend on banks for funding. And a number of unemployed Ugandans are embracing agribusiness for income generation, while the employed ones are into farming to supplement their earnings. California and Florida are the largest tomato-producing states. Needless to say, tomato production is an important part of Uganda's economy, as well as a food source for its people. 1st floor, Room 304 Application of composite manure improves the yield. Achievements The Production Process in Tomato Farming Business. Help from government Thiaka believes he is the first farmer in Kirinyaga county to begin growing tomato seedlings in polythene paper bags rather than an open nursery. There are many varieties of tomatoes on the market including the following: Diseases and pests that attack tomatoes Because heirloom tomatoes can be harvested in as little as 60 days after planting, it’s possible to produce an income in just a few weeks. She got the idea after visiting the LSU AgCenter’s Red River Research Station in Bossier City. Tomato production is an important part of Uganda’s economy, as well as a food source for its people. After three months of thinking where to start, “I choose to grow tomatoes because they require small piece of land, capital and they are not labour intensive. If you're thinking about growing tomatoes commercially, here's a guide to get you started. He thought he would have a miserable future because he was working hand in hand with his mother. “You need to stake, trellis, or cage most tomato and Sukuma wiki plants to keep them off the ground. I must also be there to ensure there is correct mixing of chemicals,” he says. The reason is that if you try and do a whole bunch at once, then you won’t be great at any of it. Juma Ssentamu thought his hope of having a bright future had ended, when his mother got seriously sick. Growing heirloom tomatoes for profit is quite easy and can be very profitable. Amazing tomato numbers in the Netherlands, Greenhouse tomato growers root for market, After Google Glass, Apple Watch, Japan offers wearable tomatoes, Tomatoes have helped him to change his fortunes, Former Makindye East MP to seek court injunction. Values from Tomatoes If the 144 bags are sold at Shs200, 000 per bag, a farmer will earn Shs28.8m. On average, Ssentamu says an acre of tomatoes produces like 100 boxes in season. could bring $40,000. Every week I can sell more than 20 boxes of tomatoes. Elections Uganda@50 Project Success Amin. Ssentamu urges the government to set training centres for farmers such that they improve on their farming methods such that they don’t get many losses. Future plans A box sells at Sh. However, Uganda's rainy season makes tomato plants very susceptible to diseases and pests. Methods Juma sprays his tomatoes with pesticide In this year, I have really convinced that this project may be more profitable. Juma Ssentamu thought his hope of having a bright future had ended, when his mother got seriously sick. Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube. Ssentamu has also found a better method of dealing with the unpredictable seasons “I use to irrigate my tomatoes, am not affected by the weather changes”. Plot 1, Portal Avenue Tomato farming is very profitable, so if you reinvest the profits you get, you can quickly grow. He thought he would have a miserable future because he was working hand in hand with his mother. Tomato production is an important part of Uganda’s economy, as well as a food source for its people. Be particular in sowing tomato seeds. Ssentamu urges parents to nurture their children to grow with farming mind. In mulching, he uses dry grass because they are better at conserving moisture and also suffocates weeds. 4,000. Flowers. 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