NCRC: online portal for tomato growers

KANNAPOLIS — Just as farmers are gearing up for the greenhouse tomato season, N.C. State University at the N.C. Research Campus has launched the Tomato Growers Information Portal.

The tomato portal, found at www.ncsu.edu/enterprises/tomatoes, contains resources specific to the production and business management needs of field-grown and greenhouse tomato growers in North Carolina.

It's the third in a series of crop-specific Web portals created for growers by N.C. State's N.C. MarketReady program in Kannapolis. Blackberries/raspberries and strawberries also have their own portals.

The portals provide growers with one-stop shopping for their fruit and vegetable production needs. N.C. MarketReady is a program of N.C. Cooperative Extension.

The Tomato Growers Information Portal features N.C. State production resources for both greenhouse and field-grown tomatoes, including materials on economics, energy management and specialized equipment. Growers will find resources on marketing, food safety, integrated pest management, industry events and risk management specific to North Carolina tomato production.

N.C. MarketReady worked with Dr. Chris Gunter, assistant professor in the N.C. State Department of Horticultural Science, and other N.C. State faculty to develop the Tomato Growers Information Portal.

"Tomatoes are a big money-making crop for North Carolina growers," Gunter said. "The tomato portal will help growers optimize their production practices and build their businesses."

Greenhouse tomatoes, in particular, are experiencing a surge in popularity. The ability to produce crops year-round in the climate-controlled structures has expanded business opportunities for growers and retailers.

Roughly 37 percent of all fresh tomatoes sold in U.S. retail stores are now greenhouse grown. North Carolina ranks seventh in the nation in tomato production, growing more than 1 million pounds annually.

Farmers also can access the portal by visiting N.C. MarketReady online at www.ncmarketready.org and clicking the Growers Information Portals tab on the left menu bar.

The Tomato Growers Information Portal is a compilation of materials developed by multiple departments, programs and organizations associated with N.C. State, as well as from other academic and agricultural sources. The portals were developed through grant funding from the N.C. Tobacco Trust Fund Commission and the Agricultural Advancement Consortium of the N.C. Rural Center.