Why can't Tomato be grown here in the South West on a large scale?

Someone tell me why.

Because you have not start it.

Why not try it and give us updates

because nobody has ever thought of that

My guesses:
1) Land is more expensive in the South. Tomatoes are probably not worth planting on expensive land.
2) The rainy weather probably promotes the activities of pests and diseases that attack tomato plants.
I'm probably wrong but it's entertaining to try to guess these things.

Seun:
My guesses:
1) Land is more expensive in the South. Tomatoes are probably not worth planting on expensive land.
2) The rainy weather probably promotes the activities of pests and diseases that attack tomato plants.

Huh.

Sorry bro. You are wrong on both counts. I have long realized that within the SW, SE and SS regions, agricultural lands are cheapest in the SW. What's more, tomatoes can be farmed in commercial quantities in this region. If we get down to it, and mean business, bringing tomatoes from the north won't be a viable business anymore.

actually tomato is planted in south west, just that it's not in large quantity and it has season unlike hausa own

@ Seun : I was in the process of modifying it before you hid my post. No offense meant.

You are actually wrong on both counts. Agricultural lands are far cheaper in the SW compared with other regions in the South.
Tomatoes can also be farmed in commercial quantities here. Perhaps the recent tomato crisis will serve as a wake up call.

Crieff:
Why can't Tomato be grown here in the South West on a large scale?

Someone tell me why.

We do grow tomatoes in very large quantities, maybe you have not come across it, visit Ogbomosho and Ogun state.
Truly we do have pest and insect but that doesn't deter commercial planting as so many inorganic and organic insecticide is in market.
Am also planing on 5 acre of tomatoes and pepper by next dry season

I'm not a farmer for one. Two, this nonsense tomato scarcity brought this to the fore. Three, we all cannot afford to have barely a passing interest in what's going on in this country.

@Seun, there are vast agricultural land even here in Ogun state....planting cassava, that can change and tomatoes can be planted for some years and rotate. We don't have to be so one-track minded.

Seun:
My guesses:
1) Land is more expensive in the South. Tomatoes are probably not worth planting on expensive land.

we have land that are less expensive in ekiti state

2) The rainy weather probably promotes the activities of pests and diseases that attack tomato plants.

I believe the government can support with pesticide so as to encourage farmers.

so I think the main issue is that, it's not our way of life(asin culture) ... my opinion tho

choiceagric26:

We do grow tomatoes in very large quantities, maybe you have not come across it, visit Ogbomosho and Ogun state.
Truly we do have pest and insect but that doesn't deter commercial planting as so many inorganic and organic insecticide is in market.
Am also planing on 5 acre of tomatoes and pepper by next dry season

Well, who are you selling your tomatoes to? Cos if you were really producing it in large quantities, you should be supplying Lagos

Tomatoes Farmers are not many there. Unlike the North where even Civil Servants do farm.

Tomato grow very well in SW. many commercial tomato farms are springing up especially in Ogun State

we used to have a lot of tomato plantation in the south west those good old days, it does grow well here, we have our own called "yoruba tomatoe" and "atarodo tiwa" (our own pepper) both are different in shape with the ones being brought from the northern parts of the country, this is a golden opportunity for us to go back to agriculture, we have fertile lands, put seeds of tomatoes in a land in your compound, and see how it grows!

Seun:
My guesses:
1) Land is more expensive in the South. Tomatoes are probably not worth planting on expensive land.
2) The rainy weather probably promotes the activities of pests and diseases that attack tomato plants.
I'm probably wrong but it's entertaining to try to guess these things.

Well, up there you gat facts but i don't think thats the reason why, in my own opinion i think its pure laziness and education, i mean who wants to hit the farm in the hot weather, after all the hassle in an institution ?
we all have this sentiments and orientation of ''White collar jobs'' in fully A/c'd offices and good paying salary, so none of us would want to farm.

Lastly, Tomato can grow anywhere, its a very simple and easy crop plant, which requires low water supply. I remember vivdly back in the institution, we used to pour water with left over tomato seed after grating, on the grounds, in sandy soil,, and it grew, that i even made countless stew with the proceeds, and that happened in Ile-ife, Osun-state, so Tomatoes would and not could, grow in south-west.

Seun:
My guesses:
1) Land is more expensive in the South. Tomatoes are probably not worth planting on expensive land.
2) The rainy weather probably promotes the activities of pests and diseases that attack tomato plants.
I'm probably wrong but it's entertaining to try to guess these things.

shumuel:


Well, up there you gat facts but i don't think thats the reason why, in my own opinion i think its pure laziness and education, i mean who wants to hit the farm in the hot weather, after all the hassle in an institution ?
we all have this sentiments and orientation of ''White collar jobs'' in fully A/c'd offices and good paying salary, so none of us would want to farm.

Lastly, Tomato can grow anywhere, its a very simple and easy crop plant, which requires low water supply. I remember vivdly back in the institution, we used to pour water with left over tomato seed after grating, on the grounds, in sandy soil,, and it grew, that i even made countless stew with the proceeds, and that happened in Ile-ife, Osun-state, so Tomatoes would and not could, grow in south-west.

God bless you bro, i wanted to add the term "laziness" our people are lazy and unnecessarily proud, most of our youths think they are too "civilized" to farm, imagine if our youths looking for jobs have been following trends on this agric section on how to plant tomatoes and cucumbers in sacks, even without land,(this can be done where ever there is space, rented apartment or not or a friend's house, no excuse for laziness)a sack of ripe tomatoes by now can give you more than 100 medium sized seeds, the market price of a seed is 50 naira, imagine selling for the market women at 30 naira, a sack can gives 3,000 naira, imagine a young graduate having 10 sacks will make 30k and that wont disturb him or her for looking for "imaginary jobs", I was in Aba 2 days ago, I interviewed road side sellers of cucumber, the woman was eager to buy a sack of cucumber from me at 4,000 naira, she said i can bring any quantity I have early in the morning of any day, she will assist in distributing and I will collect my money cash! Imagine if it had been in lagos, the price may be higher! I salute the courage of the lady that showcase her fish pond built in her rooms here on nairaland, by now she will smile to the bank soon while other ladies are wasting their lives away doing doing aristos to survive and our young guys looking for jobs, God bless Nigeria

janefarms2015:



God bless you bro, i wanted to add the term "laziness" our people are lazy and unnecessarily proud, most of our youths think they are too "civilized" to farm, imagine if our youths looking for jobs have been following trends on this agric section on how to plant tomatoes and cucumbers in sacks, even without land,(this can be done where ever there is space, rented apartment or not or a friend's house, no excuse for laziness)a sack of ripe tomatoes by now can give you more than 100 medium sized seeds, the market price of a seed is 50 naira, imagine selling for the market women at 30 naira, a sack can gives 3,000 naira, imagine a young graduate having 10 sacks will make 30k and that wont disturb him or her for looking for "imaginary jobs", I was in Aba 2 days ago, I interviewed road side sellers of cucumber, the woman was eager to buy a sack of cucumber from me at 4,000 naira, she said i can bring any quantity I have early in the morning of any day, she will assist in distributing and I will collect my money cash! Imagine if it had been in lagos, the price may be higher! I salute the courage of the lady that showcase her fish pond built in her rooms here on nairaland, by now she will smile to the bank soon while other ladies are wasting their lives away doing doing aristos to survive and our young guys looking for jobs, God bless Nigeria

Yeap, Laziness is the right word, but unfortunately for us, we are yet to realize that Agriculture(Food) is the most immportant comodity man needs.

shumuel:


Yeap, Laziness is the right word, but unfortunately for us, we are yet to realize that Agriculture(Food) is the most immportant comodity man needs.

On the contrary, we have realized its importance...what obtains now tho is that there are more livestock farmers than crop farmers. I expect the agricultural academic community should step in and apply their knowledge and learning here, and resultantly, making themselves useful beyond imparting an academy community but a imparting a nation at a critical time such as we are in now.

I'm going into it too.