Thinking of lucrative agribusiness opportunities you can explore in Nigeria, elsewhere in Africa or around the world? Here's an abstract of 50 business opportunities you can explore in the agricultural space, extracted from the ebook, Top 500 Business Ideas.

1. HYBRID RICE FARMING

Rice as a staple crop is consumed by over 90% of households in Africa. This high consumption of rice creates a market demand that has been difficult to sustain; to the extent that most countries have to spend millions of dollars annually to import rice. The implication here is that, once you can cultivate rice, you are sure of selling at profitable rates.

2. CASSAVA PLANTATION FARMING

Cassava is widely consumed in Nigeria and other parts of Africa. The processed cassava is used for food preparation, production of flour for bakeries and production of ethanol among other varieties of products. The multiple uses of cassava create huge scarcity for the product in the local and international market, leading to hike in the price in local markets.


3. PLANTAIN PLANTATION

The global supply of plantain is low, compared to the high demand. There is a ready market for plantain due to the number of health and commercial uses of the plant. Plantain chips, roasted plantain, boiled plantain and other products are derived from plantain which is usually imported into the country.


4. CASHEW PLANTATION

Few years ago, cashew was ignored by Africans perhaps, due to limited information on its commercial potentials but today, cashew is no longer a common commodity. The fruit is processed to produce cashew drink and juice, while the nuts are packaged and exported to western countries where they are processed into chemicals and biogas.


5. MAIZE PLANTATION

One of the widely consumed agricultural commodities, which is perhaps considered a cultural plant, is maize. Maize has multiple uses, as it can be boiled, roasted and used in dish preparation. Maize is also used in producing pap, custard, popcorn and other commodities. Nigeria and other African countries have a favourable climate for maize production. Within

6. BEANS CULTIVATION

Beans as a crop is widely consumed in Nigeria. In the past, the country had to depend on imports to meet up with local demand. Beans are not only rich in protein but used in the preparation of different dishes including bean cake which is sold at major spots in Nigeria.

7. SOYA BEANS FARMING

Due to the health and economic benefits of soya beans, the demand for the crop is growing sporadically. The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) states that soya beans contain 36% proteins, 30% carbohydrates as well as fibres, vitamins and minerals.

8. TOMATOES FARMING

The demand for tomatoes all over the globe is high especially with the increasing demand for tomato paste. Tomatoes are used for household and commercial cooking. An estimate of 2.3 million metric tons of tomatoes is consumed in Nigeria annually.

9. ONION CULTIVATION

Onions are considered a fast moving agricultural crop in Nigeria. Onion serves as a natural seasoning for cooking family and commercial food. Aside from cooking, onion is highly nutritional; it contains phytochemicals and Vitamin C which is a buffer to the body's immune system; chromium which is used to control diabetes; and minerals that improve cardiovascular health.

10. GENERAL VEGETABLE CULTIVATION

Apart from cultivating the few crops identified, you may also engage in the cultivation of the following vegetables in large quantities. They include; ‘ugwu’, water leaf, melon, okra, pumpkin, cabbage and cucumber. Because people consume the crops daily, the market is constant and the yield is profitable. With innovation, you can provide some form of packaging for the crops for easy handling.

11. WATER MELON CULTIVATION

Water melon is widely consumed in Nigeria by people of all age, class and culture. The fruit has rich nutritional contents i.e. potassium, vitamin A and C and others which help to control blood pressure, obesity, achieve weight loss etc. Your farm will have to determine the type of water melon to cultivate as there are different types and different maturation period i.e. sugar baby (75 days), crimson sweet (85 days), Charleston gray (85 days), orange glo (90 days) and Jubilee (95 days) among others.

12. GARDEN EGG CULTIVATION

With over 180 million people, Nigeria has a large market for private and commercial consumption of garden egg. The sale of garden egg extends from the rural to the urban areas due to its market and health benefits. The nutritional benefits include Vitamin B, Vitamin K, Vitamin C, copper, magnesium, and folic acid that improves brain oxidation, control cholesterol and regulate blood sugar.


13. PINEAPPLE FARMING

The high nutritional value of pineapple and its usefulness in the production of pineapple related juice has triggered the demand over time. Pineapple which is consumed by the old and young contains vitamin C, A, calcium, potassium and bromelin that help strengthen the body and fight diseases. In Nigeria, it is on record that between 2009 and 2010, an estimate of 390,000 metric tons of assorted fruit juice concentrates including pineapple and vegetables was imported to complement local demand (Freshplaza.com, 2014).


14. MUSHROOM FARMING

Mushroom farming is a very lucrative business considering the huge demand in different parts of Nigeria and Africa. The farm will be cultivating any of the four types of mushrooms; saprotrophic, mycorrhizal, parasitic and entophytic mushrooms which can be sold in local and international markets.


15. CULTIVATION AND SALE OF FLOWERS

Flowers are easy to cultivate in the rainy and dry season through irrigation. They form aesthetic components of the home, office, business and most urban cities. However, you require careful planning of production cycles while evolving marketing strategies to promote your brand.

16. POULTRY FARMING- BROILERS

Poultry business has grown to be very lucrative as the demand for meat is increasing for both household and commercial purposes. Broilers are special hybrid poultry birds that are raised purely for meat. These birds mature within three to four months with a constant demand throughout the year.

17. POULTRY EGG PRODUCTION (LAYERS)

Egg has been in demand, is in demand and will be in demand. Egg which is rich in protein has a steady demand by individuals and bakeries among others. Egg is usually eaten boiled or fried; it is also used to prepare snacks such as Scotched Eggs, Egg Rolls etc. As long as the demand for bakery items continues, eggs will continue to be in the market.


18. POULTRY FARMING (LOCAL FOWL)

Poultry consumption for household and commercial usage in Nigeria is estimated to increase in the same way as the population increases. Your poultry farm will be rearing local hen and cockerel for meat production …….


19. POULTRY FARMING (TURKEY)

Rearing Turkey is another business that is closely linked to broiler sales. Turkey can be sold as livestock or processed into frozen turkey and sold to a long list of potential clients. There is a stable market for turkey which is usually higher during festive seasons and the only associated risk is that of disease which can be controlled with medicine, proper care /hygiene.

20. OTHER BIRDS –QUAIL BIRD, DUCK, GOOSE.

Poultry birds such as quail bird, duck and goose are also lucrative birds that can be reared conveniently. Depending on your location, you can rear these birds and sell to buyers in your local market. As an advantage, these birds can adapt to and survive under harsh climatic conditions compared to broilers.

21. FISH FARMING

Fish farming business is a lucrative business with huge potential, considering the growing local market of over 180 million people. On medical grounds, people avoid the consumption of meat (poultry/beef) excluding fish which is healthy for both young and old. With training in fish farming, you can start a fish farming business in any part of Nigeria.

22. GOAT/COW/SHEEP REARING

Rearing goats, cows and sheep is a profitable business globally. Though the demand is stable, there is an annual hike in demand during festive seasons, especially for sheep and goats. The same are processed and sold to wholesalers/retailers and abattoirs nationwide. Statistically, Nigerians consume 360,000 tons of beef per annum, amounting to over 2 million tons with inclusion of demand for goat and sheep.

23. HATCHERY

Hatchery is the base of the poultry business. There are numerous poultry businesses scattered all over the nation, whose businesses depend on hatcheries. With a well-established network to collect eggs from different sources, your hatchery will be engaged in producing chicks every 21 days. Alternatively, you can set up your own poultry to produce fertilised eggs to feed the hatchery.

24. RABBIT FARMING

Most Nigerians still patronise bush meat and pepper soup, making the demand for Rabbit very high. More so, schools (especially science students are occasionally required to purchase rabbits for experiments and scientific studies). Rabbit is easy to rear and it is highly productive. With a wonderful cage and nice arrangement for feeding, you can set up your rabbit farm to meet both local and export demands.

25. PIG FARMING

Pork meat has a high demand in Nigeria and the world in general. Pork meat constitutes 38% of the global demand for meat. A sow can produce twice a year and a pig can be sold when it is at least 50kg. With effective planning, you can grow and sell 300 pigs per annum. The main challenge of piggeries is the risk of infection and poor marketing; hence, a strategic business plan is required.
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The above ideas as earlier noted are extracts from the ebook, Top 500 Business Ideas. Each idea has an overview, startup cost requirement, operating cost implication, market and revenue estimations to enable you make a decision.

The Top 500 Business Idea eBook has over 400 pages of creative business ideas across multiple sectors and is available at a discounted rate of N3,000.00. Simply request for payment details on Whatsapp (+234-706-818-0074), make payment and receive a soft copy via WhatsApp.

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