Ask Carlos Baker anything about producing tomatoes and he knows. But, he is not going to share the tricks of trade since his livelihood depends on tomato production. The only advice he is willing to share is that crop rotation is important. Most of his knowledge about farming is gained through trial and error.

Years of experience have informed Baker that the soil is a crucial element in farming. “I find if you plant tomatoes or any other crop for that matter, do not plant it again right after harvesting. P plant another crop, then you can plant tomato again. If you don’t do that pest and disease will attack your crop more,” he said.

Baker is a second generation farmer who has been planting tomatoes among other crops for decades. He prides himself in producing high quality tomatoes. Perhaps at some point, whilst dining, you may have had consumed tomatoes produced on his five-acre farm, located in Mahaicony, Region Five. After all, his client list includes city restaurants, hotels and stall holders.

Baker works on his farm daily. “Farming is like any other job; you have to be dedicated to it. I experienced many failures on my farm but I have learnt from those mistakes. The most important thing that keep you farming is love. You have to love farming to be successful,” Baker stated.

Baker grows different varieties. In Guyana the tomato varieties are described as Creole and English. Within the Creole family are the small rounded cherry types and the large flat types. English are those varieties that are imported and include Heat Wave, Heat Master, Calypso, Capital, and F1 Mongo.

Recently, he partnered with the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI) to produce the Pik Ripe variety. This is a high quality hybrid tomato produced in Mexico. It is sturdy and has a fruitlike quality.

The Institute had supplied 600 seedlings to Baker for cultivation. Half of that amount was planted on a demonstration plot using NAREI’s techniques, while the remaining 300 was grown according to Baker’s practices.

Baker found that the Pik Ripe variety is sturdier than the popular Mongol variety. One tree produces around 20 pounds of tomatoes. Marketing the pik ripe is no trouble since consumers are attracted to its high quality appearance.

Tomato is a major cash crop grown by farmers throughout Guyana. The quantity of tomatoes produced locally is more than sufficient for the domestic market. According to statistics obtained by NAREI, 21,480MT (Metric Ton) of tomatoes were produced in 2015, almost doubling the quantity that was produced in 2013.

This sweet juicy vegetable could be consumed raw, cooked or processed into juices, sauces, ketchup or paste. And, for many Guyanese it is probably the most colorful vegetable in the salad bowl.

Although, the pronunciation of tomato is debatable there is no question about its health benefits. Some benefits of including tomato in one’s diet are strong bones, healthy skin, reduced exposure to several cancers, keep blood sugar in balance, improve vision, and prevent kidney stones and gallstones.

So the next time, you visit the market remember to purchase your locally grown tomatoes. Who knows maybe you will be consuming a tomato from Mr. Baker’s farm.