North Carolina ranks 7th in the nation in tomato production, growing more than one million pounds annually, according to the N.C. Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services’ 2007 Census of Agriculture. That’s a lot of tomatoes!
In order to grow delicious, juicy tomatoes at that rate, growers must give special consideration to the production practices implemented, including pre-plant considerations, trellising/staking, integrated pest management (IPM) and postharvest handling. The resources in this production section will help growers produce quality tomatoes that best suit their growing conditions and operations.
In addition to growing a quality crop, farmers must be adept at business management. Business management includes not only financial responsibility, but also marketing, food safety and risk management. A farmer might produce a bumper crop of tomatoes, but if any one of these management areas is overlooked, the profit potential for the season will not be fully realized.