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Tomato farming guide for India
Tomatoes are highly vulnerable to blossom end rot if calcium uptake is restricted by inconsistent watering.
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Key numbers
- SeasonKharif, Rabi and summerabout 110 days
- Water over the seasonabout 600 mmrain and irrigation together
- Soil pH6.0 to 6.8NPK guide 100:50:100
- Main riskBlossom End Rotsee the watchlist below
Typical values for India. Your soil test and your local KVK's advice come first.
When and where tomato is grown
Tomato is grown as a Kharif, Rabi and summer crop in India: Transplanted year-round by region.
Leading states: Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka. Soil moisture is best kept around 50 to 70% of capacity for most of the season.
What to watch on your field
What a weekly satellite and weather view of your own field shows at each stage, and when to walk the field.
Nursery and transplanting
Keep the root zone evenly moist for the first ten days after transplanting to reduce transplant shock.
Vegetative growth
Even greenness across the beds means even watering and feeding; a lagging bed is worth checking.
Flowering and fruit set
Short heat or humidity spikes cause flower and fruit drop and disease. Watch the forecast in this window.
Harvest
Keep watering regular between pickings; irregular watering causes cracking and lower grades.
The main risks for tomato
Most of these follow the weather. A risky week is a reason to inspect the crop, not to spray by default.
For any spray or dose, ask your KVK or an agronomist. VarshaKrishi's free Watch plan never names a product.
- Blossom End RotThe main risk for this crop in India.
- Early blightFavoured by long leaf-wetness periods in warm, humid weather.
- Fruit borerDegree-day models from field temperature time pheromone-trap checks.
Watering tomato well
Drip with regular, light irrigation suits most vegetables. Watering on a steady rhythm matters more than the amount on any one day.
Crop water use follows the FAO-56 method: the weather sets a reference demand, and the crop's stage sets how much of it the crop uses. That is why the same field needs different amounts in different weeks.
A weekly message about your own tomato field.
Watch is free for any field in India: what changed on your field this week, the weather for your village, and a clear note when the satellite cannot see. Decide opens crop by crop after an agronomist reviews each crop model.
1.2 km × 0.9 km · each square 10 m
- Your own field, every week.The squares inside your boundary, compared with your field's own history.
- A clear note when it cannot see.Cloudy weeks and very small plots are named, not guessed.
- Free on Watch.In Marathi, Hindi or English, on WhatsApp.
How each message is made, from which satellites and with which limits: methods and evidence. A real field's year of Sentinel-2 readings, free to download: open data.
Tomato: common questions
What soil pH does tomato need?
Tomato grows best at a soil pH between 6.0 and 6.8. A soil test before the season is the reliable way to know your own field.
How much water does tomato need?
About 600 mm over a season of roughly 110 days, from rain and irrigation together. The real need changes with the weather, the soil and the crop's stage, which is why it helps to track your own field week by week.
What is the main disease or pest risk for tomato?
Blossom End Rot is the main risk. Most risks follow the weather, so a risky week is a reason to inspect the crop. Ask your KVK or an agronomist before any spray.
When is tomato grown in India?
Tomato is grown as a Kharif, Rabi and summer crop: Transplanted year-round by region.
Which states grow the most tomato?
Leading states include Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka. VarshaKrishi's free Watch plan covers any field in these states: you need WhatsApp and your field's location, nothing installed in the field.