Economics of Tomato Production Case Study of the South Section of the Gezira Scheme

Abstract

Tomato is one of the most popular and widely grown vegetables in the Gezira scheme. However the southern section of Gezira scheme is consider as one of the main producing areas of the tomato in Gezira scheme. Tomato production is highly seasonality and perishability. Its production in the Sudan is mainly limited to winter season. Poor harvest practices and management resulted in about 30 to 40% loss in the crop yield The seasonality in production of tomato resulted in variability in prices, together with increasing surpluses of production this price variability might have resulted in lower profit to tomato producer in different areas of the southern section Gezira scheme, and all these mentioned factors considered as a problems of tomato production. The main objective is to study the economics of tomato production in southern section of Gezira scheme. Specifically the study is intended to describe the socio-economic characteristics of tomato producers, to estimate cost of tomato production and marketing under different technical packages and to determine factors that affect tomato production and cost. Moreover the study intended to drive from the study some recommendations and suggestions for future research tomato production and marketing. The study depends mainly on primary data which were collected by direct interviewing of tomato producers by means of questionnaire. The survey was carried out during the period June to July, 2010. Other sources of information such as published journals, ministry of agricultural .etc. were also used as a secondary source data. Descriptive statistics, regression analysis and crop budget were used for data analysis. The study found that, tomatoes producers were homogenous, since almost all iii of them were sharing same characteristics. Two factors have positive effect on tomato production, fertilizer and irrigation. The main cost items of tomato production in Southern section of Gezira scheme were transportation, fertilizers, pesticide and tins; it was found that the crop is profitable at the producer level according to the coefficient of private profitability. To improve tomato production in southern section of Gezira scheme study recommended that to extend adequate amount of loans to small farmers, provide modern inputs, to solve the problem of attack new insects, to create an effecting marketing system, to improve and strength the agricultural extension, also processing of tomato need to be addressed seriously study.