Once an intending farmer read or heard that cassava is the ultimate thing, or you can make 5tonnes from an hectare of maize, possibly Tomato can give you 40 tonnes on an hectare withing 6 months, he or she starts calculating the millions to rake in.
Its true, one can make the above from the farm for the commodities but where is your target market?
There is still a lot of gap between the market and the farmers. Most farm produce are harvested at the same time which leads to gluts in the market.
Most youth farmers are usually fruatrated out of the system because the expectations and hope are not met
Most of the big corporate companies prefer to deal with corporate farmers that they are sure of the source and supply.
The intending and upcoming youth needs to find a solution to this. We need to come together as a commodity group or team to sort this out.
Its a big head ache and great concern for farmers, intending farmers and youth farmers in general

Nice one bro,I once had d opportunity to advice a man in my area that want to go into cassava farming that "when you know who and whr to sell ur produce to;it gv u d confidence and joy to produce". Most of our fruits harvest r wasted due to postharvest losses caused by inability to sell on time thereby keeping d produce beyond normal days it can stay. Btw for d first time am making FP pls don't be too wicked to thank God for my life with 1like from you...ademat of God

Ademat7: Nice one bro,I once had d opportunity to advice a man in my area that want to go into cassava farming that "when you know who and whr to sell ur produce to;it gv u d confidence and joy to produce". Most of our fruits harvest r wasted due to postharvest losses caused by inability to sell on time thereby keeping d produce beyond normal days it can stay.

Thats why after one year, what you hear is "there is nothing in farming" Or " I did not make anything" . This is true. I believe we can do something about it. We only need sincere people to work with. Not the get rich quick syndrome and mentallity

If you travel to developed countries you will see dry fruits, vegetable & meats.

For those who want to dry any farm porduce,There is one commercial dryer manufactured in Ibadan it dry cassava chips, fish, moringa, vegetables , fruits & meat by using heat generated from chacoal, not using direct fire from chacoal for drying so it maintain the original colour of the produce that you place in it. call 08136650972 ...Cost is N360k , it drys 5 tons with N200 chacoal

Awesome thread. Jethro thumbs up to you. That is exactly what i am facing here in ilesa, i have harvested maize twice now, but both turned out to be a serious loss, but i am not giving up. Thanks ones again for this thread OGA jethro. Our experience OGAs pls we need u guys constructive contribution on the way OUT!

Juliana7: Awesome thread. Jethro thumbs up to you. That is exactly what i am facing here in ilesa, i have harvested maize twice now, but both turned out to be a serious loss, but i am not giving up. Thanks ones again for this thread OGA jethro. Our experience OGAs pls we need u guys constructive contribution on the way OUT!

Dear Juliana7
Are you selling fresh or drying the maize before selling?
Majority of us harvest maize at the same time. The prize of fresh maize are often dictated by the market woman. Farmers are always at their mercy.
I often advice to leave the maize to dry. One can thereby combine with other farmers to sell in bulk. I said combine because better price can be negotiate when you have large quantity to sell.
Youth farmers of similar commodity could form an association, farmers group in their vicinity to combine effort and increase output

@ jethro, you are simply on point, the twice i have harvested i sold it fresh, bros, i was simply at there mercy. I have resolved never to sell fresh again. Pls sir do u know what chenical to use in preserving d maize after harvesting dry.

Juliana7: @ jethro, you are simply on point, the twice i have harvested i sold it fresh, bros, i was simply at there mercy. I have resolved never to sell fresh again. Pls sir do u know what chenical to use in preserving d maize after harvesting dry.

Yes I do. I will confirm the name for you from the elderly farmers. I m not in the farm at the moment

This is right thread to follow, everything agriculture depend on your marketing QED

l wish someone can set up a site where farmers put up their harvest for sale, so hotels/restaurants, catering firms etc can access directly cutting off middlemen. l am taking it from a model in kenya called M-Shamba which is also running on an app.

Pavore9: l wish someone can set up a site where farmers put up their harvest for sale, so hotels/restaurants, catering firms etc can access directly cutting off middlemen. l am taking it from a model in kenya called M-Shamba which is also running on an app.

That will be fantastic. I wouldn't mind doing that if one can get a developer at reasonable price. Farmers are always at the mercy of the middle men

Perishable crops e.g tomatoes, vegetables, fruits e.t.c i want to know how best to preserve them to minimise loss?

gbaskiboy: Perishable crops e.g tomatoes, vegetables, fruits e.t.c i want to know how best to preserve them to minimise loss?

However, there are several vegetables which can be stored without any processing. These
include many root crops as well as pumpkins and winter squash. Though little or no processing
is involved, successful long term storage of these vegetable crops depends on their careful
harvest and post-harvest handling. Here are some suggestions for dry storage of selected
vegetable crops.

Carrots: Those best for winter storage are the ones harvested in late fall before the ground
freezes. They should be dug when the soil is dry. Cut off the carrot tops to within one-half inch
of the carrot root. Soil can be removed from the carrots with a quick rinse but the carrots should
not be scrubbed. Once they are dry, place the carrots in plastic bags perforated with small
holes. They=ll keep best if stored in a cold (32 to 40 degrees F) and humid location.
Root cellars are ideal but few people have such storage facilities. A second refrigerator would
make sense, especially if similar root crops such as beets, horseradish, parsnips, radishes,
rutabagas, and kohlrabi are being stored. Radishes and kohlrabi will keep under these
conditions for about a month whereas the other crops can be stored for four months or more.
These root crops can also be Astored@ right where they growing simply by placing a deep layer
of straw mulch over the plantings as the weather gets cold but before the ground freezes.

Potatoes: Late maturing varieties are best for storage. Another key to long term storage of
potatoes is proper handling at harvest time. First, potatoes to be stored should not be dug until
the tops have died and dried. When digging, be very careful to avoid bruising or cutting the
potatoes. Damaged potatoes should be set aside and used soon after harvest. Potatoes should
not be washed or scrubbed if they are to be stored but soil can be carefully brushed from the
tubers.
Once potatoes are dug, they need to be cured for a week or two in a warm (60 to 75 degrees F),
moist, and dark location. Curing will help heal any minor wounds. Once cured, potatoes should
be stored in a cooler location with temperatures near 45 degrees. Again, that=s difficult to
achieve in most homes, so pick the coolest corner of the basement. The location should be
humid and dark. The closer to these temperature and humidity requirements, the longer the
potatoes will keep in storage. That could be between 2 and 9 months.

Onions: Storage requirements for onions also apply to shallots and garlic. The best onions for
storage are those that have been harvested when fully mature, i.e. after the tops have flopped
and turned brown. The tops or leaves of stiff-necked garlic varieties do not flop, but they will turn
brown and should be harvested when at least half the leaves have browned.

Read here: http://www.runetwork.org/html/en/articles/7131.html
And here:http://www.thekitchn.com/the-kitchns-guide-to-storing-fruits-and-vegetables-tip-roundup-176308

Simply educating. Nice thread

Government's help wuld b rili aprici8ted in dis mata

hensben: However, there are several vegetables which can be stored without any processing. These
include many root crops as well as pumpkins and winter squash. Though little or no processing
is involved, successful long term storage of these vegetable crops depends on their careful
harvest and post-harvest handling. Here are some suggestions for dry storage of selected
vegetable crops.

Carrots: Those best for winter storage are the ones harvested in late fall before the ground
freezes. They should be dug when the soil is dry. Cut off the carrot tops to within one-half inch
of the carrot root. Soil can be removed from the carrots with a quick rinse but the carrots should
not be scrubbed. Once they are dry, place the carrots in plastic bags perforated with small
holes. They=ll keep best if stored in a cold (32 to 40 degrees F) and humid location.
Root cellars are ideal but few people have such storage facilities. A second refrigerator would
make sense, especially if similar root crops such as beets, horseradish, parsnips, radishes,
rutabagas, and kohlrabi are being stored. Radishes and kohlrabi will keep under these
conditions for about a month whereas the other crops can be stored for four months or more.
These root crops can also be Astored@ right where they growing simply by placing a deep layer
of straw mulch over the plantings as the weather gets cold but before the ground freezes.

Potatoes: Late maturing varieties are best for storage. Another key to long term storage of
potatoes is proper handling at harvest time. First, potatoes to be stored should not be dug until
the tops have died and dried. When digging, be very careful to avoid bruising or cutting the
potatoes. Damaged potatoes should be set aside and used soon after harvest. Potatoes should
not be washed or scrubbed if they are to be stored but soil can be carefully brushed from the
tubers.
Once potatoes are dug, they need to be cured for a week or two in a warm (60 to 75 degrees F),
moist, and dark location. Curing will help heal any minor wounds. Once cured, potatoes should
be stored in a cooler location with temperatures near 45 degrees. Again, that=s difficult to
achieve in most homes, so pick the coolest corner of the basement. The location should be
humid and dark. The closer to these temperature and humidity requirements, the longer the
potatoes will keep in storage. That could be between 2 and 9 months.

Onions: Storage requirements for onions also apply to shallots and garlic. The best onions for
storage are those that have been harvested when fully mature, i.e. after the tops have flopped
and turned brown. The tops or leaves of stiff-necked garlic varieties do not flop, but they will turn
brown and should be harvested when at least half the leaves have browned.

Read here: http://www.runetwork.org/html/en/articles/7131.html
And here:http://www.thekitchn.com/the-kitchns-guide-to-storing-fruits-and-vegetables-tip-roundup-176308

Thanks for this, really appreciate

Where can i target for marketing of garlic and ginger?

I've it in surplus but no market for it

We are all faced with the market problem at harvest. Suggestion is " have a target market before planting, if possible negotiate and have a form of agreement that will be binding on both parties". Most of the big companies are importing their raw material. Having a commodity group that sells in bulk will make a big difference. For instance, if all the dry maize farmers have a collective group, the representative can approach the companies to source bargain for market

LONGFELLOW02: Where can i target for marketing of garlic and ginger?
I've it in surplus but no market for it

There is AACE foods in Otta. They buy ginger but they deal with group farmers. Google and call them, who knows

gbaskiboy: Perishable crops e.g tomatoes, vegetables, fruits e.t.c i want to know how best to preserve them to minimise loss?

This requires a standard cold rooms which I don't think we have in the country yet. If private investors will take up that aspect. It would be nice. Its a bit expensive setting up a standard one

Marketing?....even when it is taught in school is not an easy task...especially in the agro sector but thank God for internet ,it has helped a lot..

Check my signature below for more info...

Need a sprinkling(irrigation) job on your farm, feel free to contact me on 08121470897

Nice thread.

Agriculture is profitable, when ii say profitable, I mean profitable in the real sense of the word.

Agriculture is a business venture, a lucrative one it is. Every business venture has its pros and cons.

Its high time we stop complaining of the problems and challenges we as farmers encounter. We should think outside the box and work towards finding solutions.

Forget that government that can help you solve your problems exist. Come together and put in our own efforts, try solving your problems independently, and you might draw to attention of the government towards helping you.

A solution I can offer to the issue of marketing is as follows:

Agric products are much more valuable when processed (be it semi processing or complete processing) plus processing increases the life span of your produce.

Now processing of farm produce require machinery, and unfortunately the machinery doesn't come cheap. So join hands together, buy processing facilities, process your farm produce together, and sell together to bulk buyers at home or abroad.

I was once in dis situation of where to sell my product...buh I av learnt one tin...d moment u start planning to go into production...

Second tin after capital shud be the target market...it is the main tin after capital...
from my point of view

I don't mind d idea of an agricultual e-bay tho...it would make things easier for small scale farmers like us

Let SellingPoint help you market your items for FREE. Send a mail to SPSellingPoint@gmail.com to get started. THE SERVICE IS FREE.

lnternet is a good source for ideas on post harvest management. l hope by the end of this month l will fulfil d promise to post how to build a local deep freezer shaped preservation system for fruits & vegetables with just wood, zinc, pvc pipes.

lt does not require electricity bt requires only pouring water into d PVC pipes.lt preserves fruits & vegetables for up to 2weeks, very ideal for folks in d rural areas as they can afford to hold on to their harvest if middlemen are being too greedy!

kkk

i like this thread.