Tomato is a popular vegetable in winter in Bangladesh. However, after the introduction of different varieties of tomato, it is no longer included in the winter vegetable. Tomatoes reach the market about 3 months before winter. Tomatoes are available in two forms in the market, raw tomatoes and ripe tomatoes. Tomato is a favorite vegetable of everyone from small children to young and old. But there is a dilemma with tomatoes. Many people think that tomato is actually a fruit. But we take it as a vegetable. Like Pepe. Another says that a tomato is a vegetable. It means that there are still doubts about it.
Let's know about the nutrients in tomatoes.
Tomato is a very nutritious vegetable. Nutrient content per 100g serving is - Water 93.1g, Protein 1.9g, Fat 0.1g, Minerals 0.6g, Fiber 0.7g, Carbohydrates 3.6g, Sodium 45.8 mg, potassium 114 mg, copper 0.19 mg, sulfur 24 mg, chlorine 38 mg, vitamin A 320 non-organic units, thiamin 0.07 mg, riboflavin 0.01 mg, nicotinic acid 0.4 mg, vitamin -C 31 mg, magnesium 15 mg, oxalic acid 2 mg, phosphorus 36 mg and iron 1.8 mg. Tomatoes have nutritional as well as medicinal value. Its peel and juice are digestive and appetizing. Tomato also acts as a blood purifier.
Let's know about tomato production and demand in Bangladesh
According to ResearchGate GmbH, tomato production in Bangladesh will be Forecast 404790.9 (tonnes) in FY2023. Lower Confidence Limit: 269007.7 (tonnes) and Upper Confidence Limit: 540574.1 (tonnes). Data available from the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics showed tomato production was 0.442 million tonnes in the fiscal year 2021-2022 (FY22) of which above 98 percent were produced in summer. The daily demand for tomatoes is now approximately 1,200 tonnes as compared to the availability of less than 40 tonnes, according to the Department of Agricultural Marketing (DAM).
Bangladesh ranks 45th in world tomato production.
What is the market size of tomatoes in the world?
The Total Addressable Market (TAM) for tomatoes was valued at USD 181.74 billion in 2022. It is projected to reach USD 273.2 Billion by 2031, growing at a CAGR of 4.635% during the forecast period (2023-2031).
Let's know the tomato cultivation method
Seedbed preparation for tomatoes :- Tomatoes are cultivated by making seedlings. For this, seeds should be sown in seedbeds and seedlings should be made there. For success in tomato cultivation, purchased seeds or seeds kept at home must first be cleaned. If possible, a germination test should also be done before sowing in the seed bed. Once planted, if those seeds do not grow or grow less in the seedbed or if the grown seedlings are diseased, it will cause damage. Pathogens are often hidden in seeds. Diseases such as early blight, mosaic virus, fungal downy mildew, etc. can be present in seeds. Those pathogens become active when they get water after being soiled. As a result, the plant dies. Sometimes the soil of the seed bed may also contain some pathogens. such as seedling collapse or damping off of disease pathogens. These pathogens can also attack seedlings. That is why it is better to clean the soil of the seed bed.
Seeds can be treated in several ways. Seeds are easy to clean by soaking them in hot water. If tomato seeds are soaked in hot water of 500 degrees Celsius for 30 minutes, the bacteria and fungi on or inside the seeds will die. After that, the wet seeds should be picked and dried in the shade and sown. The seeds can also be treated with the juice of some plants. This can be done with garlic juice. Besides, the seeds can also be treated with fungicides. After tilling the seedbed soil mixing it with organic manure and covering it well with polythene for two weeks, many germs in the soil will die in the heat of the sun and the soil of the seedbed will be purified. If you don't have time, spread wood powder 3 inches thick on top of the soil of the seedbed and set it on fire.
Seedling production :- Tomato can also be cultivated by sowing seeds directly in the ground. But to get a good yield quickly, separate seedlings should be made and planted on the mainland. For this purpose, the seed beds should be prepared by cleaning and plowing the soil well in sunny high places. After cultivation, the soil should be leveled and beds should be made 1 meter wide. It is better to make the bed not too long, 3-5 meters. It benefits the care. The seeds can be sown in seed beds by sprinkling. For sprinkling usually: 100-150 grams of seed per square meter of seed bed. It takes 6-14 days for seedlings to grow from seed. For winter tomato cultivation, seeds should be sown in the month of Kartika-Agrahayana. For early cultivation, seeds should be sown in the month of Shravan-Bhadra.
Land preparation :- The land should be plowed 4-5 times and the soil should be loosened with a ladder. 20-25 cm high and 230 cm wide beds should be made for tomato cultivation in summer. 30 cm drain should be kept between 2 beds to facilitate irrigation.
Planting distance :- 25-30 days old seedlings should be planted in each bed in 2 rows at a distance of 60 x 40 cm.
Planting Time :- For winter tomato seedlings can be planted from mid-Kartik to 1st week of Magh (November to mid-January). But for early cultivation, the planting time should be brought forward. Seedlings should be planted in Bhadra-Ashwin months for advance cultivation Falguna months for Nabi cultivation and Chaitra-Baishakh months for summer cultivation.
Amount of fertilizer
The following fertilizers are applied per hectare for tomato production. But it is better to test the soil and recommend fertilizer.
Name of Fertilizer Quantity of Fertilizer (kg/hundred) Quantity of Fertilizer (kg/ha)
Urea :- 2.0-2.4 500-600
TSP :- 1.6-2.0 400-500
MOP :- 0.8-1.2 200-300
Dung :- 30-45 8-12 tons
Method of Fertilizer Application :- Half of the cow dung fertilizer and all of the TSP fertilizer should be sprinkled on the land at the time of the last cultivation. The remaining dung should be applied to the pit before planting. Urea and MOP in two equal installments should be applied in the ring system in 3rd week and 5th week of planting after lateral pruning. Gypsum, zinc sulfate, boric acid powder, and magnesium sulfate fertilizers should also be applied in case of deficiency.
Interim care :- 'A' shaped bamboo stake with pruning of dead leaves is a very necessary task for tomato plants. Apart from this, irrigation can also be done if required. If virus disease occurs, the tree should be removed. Appropriate measures should be taken to treat other diseases. Similarly, even if insects appear, proper measures should be taken. See the list in Chapter 3 for a list of what diseases or pests are most likely to attack a tomato plant at any stage of its growth.
Harvesting and yielding :- Harvesting time is within 2-4 months depending on the variety and time of planting. Tomatoes can be picked both ripe and unripe. However, ripe tomatoes should not be picked for shipping, and artificial hormones should not be used to ripen or improve the color of tomatoes. Yield 20-40 tons per hectare.
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