The current study aimed mainly to: 1- Identify some indicators of the current situation of tomato production in A. R. E. 2- Identify some personal, social and communicational characteristics of tomato
sample farmers. 3- Identify the current situation cf sample farmers' application of recommended
practices in the field of producing and marketing tomato crop. <:- Identify the tomato crop loss quantity and its relation to sample farmers' application
of recommended practices in the field of producing and marketing tomato crop. 5- Identify the main causes of tomato crop loss from sample farmers' point of view.
6- Determining agricultural extension work priorities in the field of minimizing tomato
crop loss. The study was carried out at 8elc;as District in Dakahlia Governorate. Three
villages were selected from that district. These villages are EL-Kardowd, AL-Smaar
and AL-Ghanamah. Data were collecte:d by using personal interview questionnaire
from a random sample amounted to 80 of tomato fatmers during the period from
M Multiple Regression Analysis were used to analyze data statistically. The study reached a number of important findings. These findihgs indicated
that the majority of tomato sample farmers did not apply the recommended practices
in the field of producing and marketing tomato crop, except date of cultivating nursery
and permanent land and Sulfur fertilization quantity. Also, the findings revealed 96.3%
of sample farmers did not harvest the crop in the proper stage and 76.3% of them did
not follow the proper method fer harvesting, on the other hand the vast majority of
them used the proper packing type for harvesting. The study revealed also that 81.3%
of sample farmers carrying out sorting process as recommended, on the other hand
majority of them did no apply the recommended grading, packing and transportation
practices. Moreover, the study results indicated the increasing of pre-harvest loss (16.0
tons) compared with post-harvest loss (1":: tons) and harvest loss (0.9 ton). The
results indicated also that the total loss average was 18.4 tons. Furthermore, the
study indicated that tomato crop loss was decreased by farmers' application of the
recommended practices in the field of tomato crop production and marketing. Finally,
the extension work priorities were identified by working in pre-harvest stage followed
by post-harvest stage and harvest stage despite that the extension work is necessary
in the three stages as a whole.