World Applied Sciences Journal 6 (12): 1625-1628, 2009 ISSN 1818-4952 © IDOSI Publications, 2009 Corresponding Author: M. Abdal, Arid land Agriculture and Greenery Department, Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research, P. O. Box 24885, 13109 Safat, Kuwait 1625 Cost of Cultivation of Tomato in Kuwait in Uncooled Plastic Tunnel System - A Case Study M. Abdal, M. Suleiman, N.R. Bhat and S. Jacob Arid land Agriculture and Greenery Department, Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research, P. O. Box 24885, 13109 Safat, Kuwait Abstract: Tomato is one of the main vegetable crops in Kuwait with a total greenhouse production of 39,218.3 tonnes and with a value of $ 9.58 million in 2004. Because of the country’s harsh climate, scarce water resources and poor-quality land resources, protected agriculture has a significant role in Kuwait’s agricultural development. Tomato is grown in 25% of total area under greenhouse crops and it produces 30% of total value of greenhouse crops. Approximately 89% of protected agriculture is carried out in un-cooled and cooled plastic tunnels. Calculation of the production cost of tomato in Kuwait is very important for both the farmers and the government to achieve efficient crop production and to improve resource management within the country. This study is aimed to estimate the cost of production of tomato in Kuwait in uncooled plastic tunnels. Al-Faisalia farm in Al-Wafra was taken for case study. Tomato (super sweet 100) was grown in uncooled plastic tunnel green house (30 x 9 m) and the costs incurred were categorized into initial investment costs, fixed costs and variable costs.The productivity in the case farm was 4.96 kg/m .The total cost to produce one kilogram of 2 tomato was estimated to be $ 1.03. The net profit per square meter and net profit per kilogram were $ 1.41 and $ 0.28 respectively. The study shows that tomato production can be profitable in Kuwait if the available resources are managed efficiently with proper marketing. Key words: Tomato %Greenhouse %Net profit %Investment cost %Productivity. INTRODUCTION Approximately 89% of protected agriculture is carried Tomato is a main crop in Kuwait with a total remaining 11% in cooled greenhouses covered with production of 39,218.3 tonnes and with a value of $ 9.58 fiberglass, glass or acrylic material. Many evaporative million [1]. Kuwait has a desert climate characterized by a cooling systems are used in Kuwait, but Celdeck and rope long, dry, hot summer (May-August) with temperatures ‘pads’ predominate [3]. Cucumber and tomato are the two reaching more than 45°C with frequent sandstorms and a main crops grown in protected agriculture accounting for cooler winter December-February), with temperatures 76% of the total area [4]. sometimes even falling below 4°C. The rainy season Like other countries in the middle-east, an important extends from October to May. The mean annual rainfall is aspiration of Kuwait is to achieve at least a modest level 113mm [2]. Because of the country’s harsh climate, scarce of self-sufficiency in food production. To fulfill this water resources and poor-quality land resources, aspiration, the state of Kuwait has made massive protected agriculture has a significant role in Kuwait’s investments during the past 30-40 years to create agricultural development. In the 2003-2004 growing favorable conditions for crop, poultry and dairy season, greenhouse crops accounted for 14% of the total production. Although the contribution of agriculture to cropped area and produced 40% of the total value of crop the national GDP is still small, the agriculture sector is production (Table 1). making considerable inroads in providing fresh food Tomato is grown in 25% of total area under commodities, in fulfilling citizen’s aspirations, in greenhouse crops and it produces 19% of total value of developing career opportunities and in diversifying greenhouse crops (Table 1). This shows the importance income sources. Literature review showed that economic of tomato in the green house crops in Kuwait [1]. feasibility studies were done by University of Florida for out in un-cooled and cooled plastic tunnels, with the