Tomato Farming Tips In India With Facts, Types And History
Tomato is the sole of any cooked vegetable. It has a sweet, tangy flavour and is primarily used in many cuisines. In India, tomato used in almost every veggie. That’s why it’s consumption and production are done at a large scale. And, it is the most profitable farming business not only in India but also in other countries also.
With this, tomato farming is the second most valued farming after Potato in India. You can eat it raw, cooled, or use it as your favourite pizza toppings. How great is one veggie used differently and gives a different taste? So, here we come with the detailed information on Tomato Farming in India and its types. To get proper and clear details have a look down below.
Why is Tomato Farming Popular in India?
Tomato farming is very popular in India because it is a short duration vegetable crop. It can grow anywhere, outdoors as well as indoors. You can also start tomato crop cultivation in cereals, grains, pulses, and oilseeds crops. Types of tomato plant cultivation generate more productivity and high economic value.
A Brief On History And Origin Of Tomatoes
Everything has some history, from pin to plane, tree to flower, fruit, vegetable, etc. Everyone is curious to know about them, from where they came and when? As well, tomatoes have an amazing and interesting history and we all are unrecognised from that. Its history and origin are quite jaw-dropping. So, let’s start.
In research, we got to know that tomatoes aren’t cultivated, they originated as wild in the Peru-Ecuador-Bolivia area of the Andes region. In the moderate altitudes of mountains, tomatoes are grown as both wild and edible.
The tomato originated around 700 A.D, many years back in the early Aztecs. This proof recognizes that the tomatoes are native to America, earlier than the 10th century. In research, we learned that tomatoes originated 80,000 years ago, without any human adaptation.
But nowadays, it has become a global crop and preferable vegetable of many cuisines.
Tomato is a Fruit or Vegetable? Still a Mystery!
Tomato is a fruit or vegetable, still, it is a mystery. That’s why we are here with some results and research that differentiate the tomato between fruit and vegetable, biologically and culinary.
Tomatoes are biologically proven as a fruit because they grow on the flower with seeds. But they are mostly used as vegetables in cooking. The US Supreme court has mentioned in 1893, that the tomato should be identified as a vegetable, because of its popular culinary applications.
Be Wealthy By Starting Business Of Tomato Farming
To start the tomato farming business, you must have knowledge about tomatoes such as their varieties, suitable cultivation process and marketing process. Tomato is the most important and the largest producing food crop in the world. It is a warm-season vegetable and cannot thrive in the frost and humidity season.
After potato and onion, tomato holds the third rank in India and second in the world. To start tomato farming you can grow them in small areas. You can start different types of tomato cultivation in open land and also in greenhouses. By growing, different types of tomatoes will give you an efficient output and a major profit.
Tomatoes are mainly used in many ways such as in the fresh green salad, cooked food recipes and processed tomato products like sauce, ketchup etc.
To start a profitable tomato business, just check the suitable variety and tomato cultivation steps, which we have mentioned below.
Best Tomato Varieties Globally
Now you can start your business by choosing the best tomato varieties and suitable tomato cultivation. Along with the different types of tomatoes, you can check the tomato cultivation with cost, market price and popularity.
Tomatoes have an extensive range of varieties around 10,000 species, globally. Generally, tomatoes plant, variety and species are divided into 2 categories:-
| 1. Determinate Tomatoes
Determinate varieties of tomato plants include the bush variety, that plants which reach to a certain height and then stop to grow. |
2. Indeterminate Tomatoes
Indeterminate varieties shows the continue to grow and produce tomatoes with stems in the whole season. |
Every tomato variety from the whole world comes under these 2 categories.
Here we are describing some popular tomato varieties around the world.
1. Celebrity Tomato
Celebrity tomato vines grow medium-large tomatoes that are famous for their mesmerizing taste. It is a determinate variety, produces long fruit-holding stems holding more than 20 tomatoes. Celebrity tomato is one of the best tomato types that need caging or staking to grow best throughout the season.
Plant height – 5 to 10 feet
Shape – Globe shape
Maturity time – 70 – 75 days after planting
Best Uses – In sandwiches, for slicing and snacks
2. Heirloom Tomato
Heirloom tomatoes are also known as heritage tomato in the UK. The Heirloom tomato seeds produce the best tomatoes according to the farmers. Because they are pollinated by nature such as by birds, human hands, winds etc. Usually, this tomato variety produces types of cherry tomatoes and provides a sweeter taste and grows in red colour. It is one of the indeterminate tomato varieties categories.
Plant height – 5 to 8 feet
Shape – Vary in shape and size
Maturity time – 63 days after planting
Best Uses – In salad
3. Vine Tomato
Vine tomatoes are easy to plant or grow and also provide the best taste after being grown in full sun. It provides a deep red hue colour which gives a sweet flavour and juicy texture. This is also a determinate variety that grows in bushes.
Plant height – 6 to 12 feet
Shape – Like cherry and grape
Maturity time – 65 – 70 days after planting
Best Uses – For soup, sauces and jams
4. Pink Tomato
Pink tomatoes are one of the best heirloom tomatoes and are also known as Pink Brandywine. This variety comes in pinkish-red colour and used in many ways in the kitchen. Pink tomatoes are sweet, deliciously rich in taste and also count in indeterminate categories.
Plant height – 5 to 7 feet
Shape – Oval-shaped
Maturity time – 90 days after planting
Best Uses – For making vines and can eat raw
5. Black Cherry Tomato
It is part of the heirloom tomato variety. You can start black cherry tomato organic farming from 10℃ to 35℃ and are also convenient to grow indoors and outdoors. This variety comes in a dark colour and also gives the sweet rich taste and counts in the indeterminate category.
Plant height – 5 to 7 feet
Shape – Round
Maturity time – 65 – 75 days after planting
Best Uses – Sauces, soups, salads, veggie platters and also in salsa recipes
6. Yellow Tomato
Yellow tomatoes are also the part of heirloom tomato variety and come in an indeterminate variety. This variety is also known as pear tomato. It comes in a very sweet taste and also in a smaller size.
Plant height – Up to 8 feet
Shape – Pear shape
Maturity time – 70 – 80 days after planting
Best Uses – Yellow ketchup, paste and tomato jam
7. Black Krim Tomato
The Black Krim tomato plant produces dark reddish-purple skin tomatoes. It has a bit of smokey, salty and juicy taste and also comes in an indeterminate category of the Russian heirloom variety.
Plant height – 6 feet
Shape – Flattened globe shape
Maturity time – 70 – 90 days after planting
Best Uses – Juices, cocktail drinks and making sauces
8. Purple Tomato
Purple tomatoes are also called blue tomatoes and are genetically modified to get a higher amount of anthocyanins. It is also considered in the heirloom variety and also comes in the indeterminate vine category.
Plant height – 9 feet
Shape – Beefsteak shape
Maturity time – 80 – 90 days after planting
Best Uses – Used as grilled, for pizza topping etc.
9. Marglobe Tomato
Marglobe tomato plants produce delicious flavour healthy tomatoes. It is also classified into the determinate category.
Plant height – 4 – 6 feet
Shape – Globe shaped
Maturity time – 60 – 90 days after planting
Best Uses – For canning
10. Indigo Rose Tomato
Indigo Rose tomato organic farming produces beautiful dark purple-skinned tomatoes. It is one of the types of cherry tomatoes that produce glossy and smooth skins.
Plant height – 5-7 feet
Shape – Round shaped
Maturity time – 91 days after planting
Best Uses – For cooking
11. Moneymaker Tomato
The Moneymaker Tomato is a high production heirloom variety. It produces delicious, bright red and smooth moneymaker tomatoes that are perfect for fresh eating. It is also a medium-sized fruit with sweet tasty meat textured. They are easy to grow indoor as well as outdoor and it comes in an indeterminate category.
Plant height – 6-7 feet
Shape – Heart-shaped
Maturity time – 70-80 days after planting
Best Uses – In salads, garnishes, sauces and soups
12. Pusa Ruby Tomato
Pusa ruby tomato is a desi tomato and also a popular Indian tomato fruit type. It can grow in both categories determinate and indeterminate.
Plant height – 3-15 feet
Shape – Square round shaped
Maturity time – 125 days after planting
Best Uses – In salads, cooking and many uses
Tomato Farming Tips In India
1. Climatic Requirement
The suitable temperature for tomato farming should be 10-25 °C, and ideal rainfall must be 400-600 mm.
2. Soil and Land Preparation
The ideal soil range is deep soil, well-drained soil with a good drainage system for planting tomatoes. But the sandy loam, red soil and medium black soil are also considered as the most ideal soil for tomato farming. For better tomato production, the soil pH level must be 7-8.5
3. Sowing and Planting
Time of sowing and planting the tomato seeds completely depend on the climate of different states.
- Spring Season Tomato Farming – Done in late November and again planted in January.
- Autumn Season Tomato Farming – Done in July-August and again planted in September.
4. Harvesting
You should harvest tomatoes by hand to separate them from the stem. Keep the harvested fruits only in a basket or crates and in shade. Use the tomato harvester machine to harvest the tomatoes.
Live Healthy With Tomatoes
Consumption of tomatoes and related products helps to improve skin health and provides many health benefits and also make you able to fight many severe diseases.
Including tomatoes in the diet helps to:
- help to fight against cancer,
- maintain healthy blood pressure
- reduce blood glucose in diabetic people
- and also protect the eye against from light-induced damage
Be healthy and wealthy by tomatoes. We hope you like this blog and also find it informative. If you want to get more information regarding health, farming, equipment, stay connected with TractorGuru.
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