Nigeria’s economic outlook seems bleak with the fortunes of the most populated black nation tipping to the wand of a dwindling global oil price. One only wonders how a nation that began a radical economic journey through agriculture didn’t add and expand to a world power, but chose to down tool to the potentials of an oil boom. Rallying back to the agricultural sector as a source of GDP, employment and foreign exchange earnings is likened to a prodigal journey home. A nation needs to build on its viable revenue and employment sources and segue into new industries of enormous opportunities.
One striking aspect of the economic viable and realistic agricultural produce is the coconut. With more than 86 countries worldwide producing this crop and a total of about 64.3 billion nuts per annum as of 2013, the demand is on the increase. Little is known about a wonder crop such as this that interest experts in the value chain of agricultural exploration for its use not only in a variety of industry, but also as every part of the coconut is virtually useful for economic value. This crop can be grown in sandy soils with immense cravings for sunlight, salinity, regular rainfall and high humidity, making the tropics and sub tropics a suitable abode for its cultivation.
When properly nurtured a palm tree can yield up to 75 fruits per year, using about 15 – 20 years to attain its peak production. It is pertinent to state the abundant ability of this crop:
The seed is processed to produce oil for frying, cooking and making margarine. The liquid is processed to a sport drink known as coconut water and can be fermented to coconut vinegar which is a supplement for growth in plant tissue culture/micro propagation.
The fleshy white part of the seed, known as the coconut meat can be used fresh or dried for a sumptuous meal of macaroons. It can also be desiccated to produce coconut milk which is added to curries and other dishes such as savory coconut rice.
Coconut milk can be placed to set, allowing coconut cream to rise to the top. Virgin coconut oil is produced from the milk by a chemical process of controlled heating and removal of oil faction. Interestingly, the leftover from the oil and milk production is used as livestock feed known as copra cake.
Adepts in the field of cosmetology often include coconut oils into soaps and cosmetic products such as hair oils, massage oils and moisturizers. Fermenting the flower cluster from the incised sap produces a type of palm wine known as coconut vodka which is further reduced to produce palm sugar or jaggery.
Palm cabbage, which is a rear delicacy of salad, is the edible bud of an adult coconut.
Coir, which is the fiber from the husk, is utilized in making ropes, rugs, mats, brushes, sacks, caulking for boats and stuffing for fiber mattresses. The fronds (leaves) are used for brooms, cooking skewers, woven into mats or burnt to ash to yield lime. Husk and shells are a source of charcoal and can be used for fuel. Shells are also used for buttons.
The trunks are used for furniture and also for construction due to its straightness, salt resistance and firmness. The roots are used as a dye.
Assessing the three largest producers of coconuts in the world, a lesson is learnt on its contribution to GDP and employment ratios to these countries:
Also in Indonesia with 18.3 million metric tonnes making it the largest producer in the world, the plantations for coconut is on 3.8 million hectares with 3.7 million hectares belonging to small farmers nationwide. The crop contributes to the nation’s 15% GDP of agriculture and food products which is the backbone of its economy. It is also a pillar in employment generation as it the country battles poverty alleviation.
In the Philippines, coconut farming occupies about 3.32 million hectares of land employing about 20 million people from direct or indirect labor (a figure which is about one third of the nation’s population). It also contributes to the nation a 1.5% of GNP and playing a major stake in the 12% GDP contribution by the agriculture sector from a total annual export of about 15.353 million metric tonnes. The continuous trend in the production of coconut speaks of the stability of the industry.
In India, annual export reached a figure of 11.9 million metric tonnes. The crop accounts for export earnings of $50 million with the processing and other related activities in crop cultivation creating employment for over 2 million people and creating a means of livelihood for about 10 million people. Little wonder why it has so huge an influence on the rural economy of many states that are growing coconut palms extensively.
Nigeria currently can only boast of 265,000 metric tonnes of coconut production in 18th position of the world coconut production country index, a country that is bestowed with arable rain forest zone fertile for a crop that is non-indigenous to it. Thus, the nation can compete favorably in an increasing market.
The federal government pursuing major cash crops for local and international markets can tap into the richness of such a viable industry. This crop allows any crop combination such as intercropping (annuals or seasonal crops such as pineapple, banana, groundnut and sweet potato) or mix cropping (perennial’s such as cocoa, pepper, cashew and fruit trees) to grow in the interspaces, a fact to the uniqueness of its ecofriendly characteristics and its ability to permit coexistence with multispecies plants.
Setting up stratagems to achieve a rich industry from the cultivation of this crop should be pursued by setting up developmental funds; such funds can be set up for easy access to soft loan facilities in helping a radical journey to cultivation and processing for high quality yield. Loan facilities can be under the Bank of agriculture (BOA) or relevant financial institutions in development such as the Bank of Industries (BOI), such credit facilities will ensure the meeting of local consumption and international export demand and will also allow a mechanized progressiveness in boosting the quality and ease in its processing.
An expedite setting up of a coconut development board under the ministry of agriculture which will see to the researching of new technologies for the development of new value products to yield results in the diversification of byproducts. The research programmes organized through existing research institutions of state, private or federal universities can fast track technological advancements and new uses in the post-harvest processing stage. A Coconut Research Centre can be setup by government or privately managed to ensure the safe guard of crops from pest and disease control to produce a variety of healthy and resilient crops for cultivation.
More importantly, there needs to be effective policies for product certification, quality control and tariff reduction for fertilizer distribution to ensure a farmer friendly sector.
Furthermore, business looms in the joint venture partnership for the planting, harvesting and processing of the crop. Thus, it can gulp millions of individuals in direct and indirect labour, from the lowest cadre of farmers and artisans to highly administrative.
The coconut is a special crop with its economic, nutrition, ornamental and medicinal importance. It offers an array of investment opportunities, income and employment generation for a country facing a dire need in the reduction of unemployment and a means for a shift in the overly dependency of its economy on oil. It goes further to provide raw materials for many industries making it an important asset to the national economic development. The establishment of coconut plantations is key to Nigeria desire to improving on its GDP and income of its citizens. Nigeria is faced with a call to action especially now that the Asian palms are rapidly aging, posing a crisis to production.

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Good job, l have been thinking of it and we are preparing to plant in ikire osun state come may this year 2016. If you are interested in buying seedlings of dwarf variety call me on 08120528950 or eesteeresources@gmail.com

Years to Maturity

After planting, it takes approximately 4 to 10 years for a coconut
tree to reach maturity. At that time, the tree begins producing
flowers, and then coconuts begin to develop. The coconut palm comes
in both tall and dwarf varieties.
Dwarf varieties reach maturity and
begin producing nuts much faster, within 4 - 6 years; however,
these trees are not as hardy and simple to grow as tall varieties, and
they often have a shorter lifespan.
Tall varieties may have a longer
period to reach maturity, but once they do, you can expect a crop of
25 to 75 coconuts per years. Coconut trees live up to 80 or 90 years and
continue to produce nuts through their lifetime.

Size at Maturity

At maturity, the coconut tree stands between 80 and 100 feet tall.
However, dwarf coconut trees are approximately one-third the size of
tall coconut cultivars. The elongated, curling leaves sit atop of the tree
like a crown. Also known as fronds, these leaves measure as much as
10 to 15 feet long at maturity. When full with a heavy load of
coconuts, it is not unusual for a coconut tree to lean to one side due
to the weight.

Coconut Maturity

Once your tree begins producing coconuts, it does not mean that they
are ready for harvest immediately. In fact, once coconuts appear, it
takes approximately one year before the coconuts are ready for
harvest. Even so, coconuts reach their full size at six months. You can
tell that the nuts are ready for harvest once they change from green to
yellow or brown. Coconuts appear in bunches, and each coconut
reaches maturity at the same time.

Precautions and Considerations

It is important to note that coconuts are capable of falling from the
tree long before they reach maturity. When a coconut falls, due to the
height of the tree, it is a danger to anyone or anything sitting or
residing below the tree. Coconuts have been known to kill people
standing below the tree when they fall. Therefore, to ensure a safer
environment with your tree, it is best to remove coconuts from the
tree before they have turned brown, indicating maturity. Remove the
nuts before they reach eight months or older. This decreases the
chances of the nuts falling and posing a danger or you plant only the DWARF VARIETY

i am glad you found the post a good read.
thanks for your contribution also...

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nicely written

tamunoopubo:
i am glad you found the post a good read.
thanks for your contribution also...

Nice op

Pls between coconut and Palm tree which one is better for a small plantation

Coconut farming is another ATM machine which you can keep withdrawing money from all through your life time. Of interest to me is the hybrid coconut plantatiion. It matures within 4 years and can produce about 250 nuts in a year.

Assuming you have 100 coconut trees, multiply by 250 nuts that will be 25,000 thousand. If each nut is sold for #100 it could be more than that you know...
Now multiply 25,000 × 100 = #2, 500, 000
This is what you get at the end of the year. The more the trees the more the money......
http://www.enibest.com.ng/coconut-farming/

tolugar:


Nice op

Pls between coconut and Palm tree which one is better for a small plantation

Sir

Did you later got answers to your questions from outside sources

Theophinio:


Sir

Did you later got answers to your questions from outside sources

Sorry I didn’t.


I went into palms

But should’ve gone into coconut. Fast and easy
To process into coconut oil which now has more value than palm

tolugar:


Sorry I didn’t.


I went into palms

But should’ve gone into coconut. Fast and easy
To process into coconut oil which now has more value than palm

Really

I thought palms is more viable in Nigeria �� than coconut � due to the vast uses of oil palm value chain

Again vco is very expensive, it might be hard to market it due to the poverty in the land

Although your point of fast cash at hand with coconut � sales is pure truth, I read how many billions Nigeria government spent on coconut importation from Africa countries

But am contemplating on starting with coconut � plantation for sales of the fruit and the husk