Basra farmers turn to new tomato planting methods as costs rise

BASRA — Farmers in Basra are transplanting tomato seedlings into fields this month using foam-planting techniques that they say have doubled yields but come entirely at their own expense.

The method involves growing seedlings in foam squares, each with 209 cells, before moving them into the soil after a month. Farmers say the approach strengthens roots, cuts losses, and increases productivity from about seven boxes per farm to 14 or 15.

“Before 2002 the methods were traditional and primitive,” farmer Mohammed al-Saeedi told 964media. “We used to place 20 to 30 seeds directly in the soil, which required great effort and high costs. Today, each foam square contains 209 cells, and we use five foam pieces for each envelope of 1,000 seeds.”

He said a typical farm with 300 cells requires around 36,000 seedlings, with all costs — including foam, imported fertilizer, and labor — borne by farmers themselves.

The system is used in both summer and winter cycles. In one method, seeds are planted in nurseries in early August and transplanted in September. Another uses imported cartons from Iran with 1,000 cups, in which seedlings are kept for 20 days before being transplanted in a process called “filling.”

Costs remain high. A single nursery setup runs about 2.5 million dinars ($1,774). Planting tools cost 500,000 dinars ($355), each foam square costs 2,000 dinars ($1.42), and farmers need more than 1,000 for one farm. A seed envelope of 55,000–57,000 seeds sells for 45,000–50,000 dinars ($31.91–$35.46). Fungicides and other crop medicines add further expense.

“The shift from traditional planting to foam planting proved successful economically,” said farmer Amer al-Amri. “It reduced losses and improved crop quality, with productivity increasing from seven boxes to 14–15 boxes.”

He added, however, that “the lack of government support remains a major obstacle to expanding and sustaining this method, as farmers rely entirely on their own expenses.”