How I started tomato business with N2,000 – Trader

By Adeola Tukuru Abuja–

Alhaji Hassan Mohammed, 56 ,is generating serious cash-fl ow from selling tomatoes and other condiments. Mohammed, who started in 2014 with just one basket of tomato at his disposal is now able to supply to markets around his area. While recounting to Business Starter, Mohammed, explained that he started the business with the sum of N2,000, but now earn over N13,000 daily from selling to consumers and also distributing to others traders.

Mohammed, who hails from Katsina state with two wives and 6 children said he is also able to fend for his family and train his children through school from the tomato business. While explaining in not too fl uent English language ,” When I came to Abuja in 2012 , I looked around for security jobs but I didn’t get any better one. In fact, I worked in one private house as a security man for almost two years, then I realised that my salary was not enough for me and my family.

“So, I gathered all I have in my savings which was just N2,000, I bought a basket of tomato and displayed it in front my house” ” I realised that my wares get exhausted before evening that customers come back to ask for more. I realised I sold almost all my wares in a day and so I had to get a place in Dei-Dei market, where I can display more of my tomatoes” “It was like a dream when I realised that I now buy more than 6 baskets in a day and sell to my customers. Some of them even placed order for parties and I also distribute to other customers, ” he said. On challenges of how he preserved his tomatoes, Mohammed hated how many tomatoes he lost every season.

According to him, for years, his tomatoes started rotting just three or four days after harvest which made him frustrated. According to him, “I lost almost half of my production. worse still, I would sell at a low price in the market. So in 2015, I thought that maybe I should find a tomato conservative technique “. He further explained that he tried several techniques to solve his problem. He tried storing his tomatoes underground and even in sand.

He tried everything that came to his mind but without success. Then, one day, Mohammed noticed that the tomatoes he kept next to his banana tree were not rotten. He decided to keep his tomatoes in the ash and found out that this technique was more effective than any of the other techniques he had tried. Th e future of tomato farming is bright.

Th is is evident in the fact that the need for fresh tomato is increasing as businesses are starting their tomato pastes production and dried tomato business. With the federal government still bringing in policies to encourage more tomato farming so as to reduce money spent in importing, tomato paste is another sign that priority is been given to the industry.

Starting tomato farming business

Tomato farming begins by taking some important steps to play. You have to adhere to the rules of cultivating to stand the chance of making your tomato farming business in Nigeria a lucrative one. If you decide to start here, you’ll need a farm to start. Th e following steps show you how to go about it.

1. Acquire land This is a place where the crop will be planted and grow. On your business goals, acquire land that meets your demand today and the future. Make sure it’s in an area where it will be suitable for the growth of the tomatoes. If you’re using your backyard, make sure the soil is the one that will encourage growth. A sunny well-drained part of your garden is the best soil for tomatoes
2. Prepare your land Start preparing your land by weeding the grasses and making soil bed. Use organic fertilizer to work the land with it. Provide good water supply system and water the land for some days.
3. Acquire and plant your tomato

Th e tomato seed comes in a sealed sachet with all the instruction on it. If you don’t understand anything, you can ask the person who is an expert. Normally you can get the seedling in any of the ministries of agriculture closer to you and you’ll get the expert support there. Th e tomato seed is started indoor, whether it’s meant for the greenhouse. Th is is because the tomato seed needs at least 60 degrees and 80 degrees for the seed to germinate. Th is is because it’s a tropical plant and any temperature below 32 degrees Fahrenheit kills the plan or makes germination impossible. The seed is planted in a nursery. Normally, the planting period mostly favorable for tomato is around March or April, when there is heat and the rain has started falling. Th e nursery will require at least 4 hours of exposure to sunlight to encourage the seed germination.

4. Acquire knowledge You’ll need some knowledge about the farming methods. Sometimes you’ll need to hear it from those who are in the fi eld doing it. Search and read also from the internet, anything you can lay your hands on relating to tomatoes read it.
5. Tomato farming varieties To grow the tomato, you need to know the tomato farming varieties. Here are some of the varieties. Cherry tomatoes-Great for making salads and snacking on a whole. Th ey are the fi rst to mature because the fruit is small. Beefsteak tomatoes-One of the biggest tomato out there and with a great fl avor. Th is type people sometimes take it as apple and best use in making sandwiches. Sauce tomatoes- Has lower water content. Best use for making spaghetti sauce. Sauce tomatoes (Roma)- Th e most popular one in the marketplace in Nigeria. Th is has a long shelf life because of the lower water content. Majority start there tomato farming in Nigeria with sauce tomatoes.
6. Transplanting your tomato Your tomato is ready for transplanting when they’re 3 to 4 inches tall in the nursery. For the transplanting to take place eff ectively, you will need to do the transplanting at about 50-degree temperature. Th is time is consistent at night. When you’re not sure of the temperature, then consult an expert to help you.
7. Growing your tomato farming business Th e length of time between tomato seed germination and harvest varies with the type being grown. But the average is between 65-90 days. Before reaching the harvest time, it’s important to note the following in other to attain maximum growth.
8. Make sure tomatoes are planted where they’ll get at least 10 hours of light preferably in the summer. Leave space between tomatoes for air to freely circulate.
9. Try rotating a little the tomato bed to prevent the risk of soil burn diseases like bacterial and early bright.
10. Water deeply on the soil not on the leaves. Do this every 5-7 days.
11. Remove non-fruit branches. This directs the tomato plants energy into growing bigger and better. 5. Plant your tomato at intervals. This will ensure that not all of your harvest will come at once.
12. Controlling your production One major problem having an open tomato farm is it can be affected by the weather. For instance, in a hot season when the tomato is yielding more tomatoes, rain will slow the production and it will take time for the tomato to readjust itself.
13. Selling your tomatoes You can start selling your tomato from the day you start harvesting it. Remember tomatoes are perishable. Then starting your marketing should be done before the date of the intended sales.

There are various ways people sell their tomatoes, but the most popular are using a basket and the basket comes in various sizes.

10. Buying and selling Maybe you don’t want to start the business from the stage of tomato farming. You can still do the business. In fact majority of the people who start the tomato, business goes in and buy from the farmers in bulk and sell it to people who buy in small to a large quantity.