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Post by: Adegbola, Bukola Suliyat – bukola@farmkonnectng.com – 08093016914 Snail Slime is a kind of mucus, an external bodily secretion which is produced by snails, gastropod mollusks. Land snails and slugs produce mucus, but so does every other kind of gastropod, from marine, freshwater and terrestrial habitats. The reproductive system of gastropods also produces mucus internally from special glands. Externally, one kind of mucus is produced by the foot of the gastropod and is usually used for crawling on. The other kind of external mucus is designed to coat the external parts of the gastropod's body; in land species this coating helps prevent desiccation of the exposed soft tissues. The foot mucus of a gastropod has some of the qualities of a glue and some of the qualities of a lubricant, allowing land snails to crawl up vertical surfaces without falling off. The slime trail that a land gastropod leaves behind is often visible as a silvery track on surfaces such as stone or concrete. Mucus is a gel consisting of a polymer network that functions as a protective layer for the integument and mucosal surfaces of both elementary animals and mammals. The mucus of gastropods is not only used as a coating to cover the surfaces on which the snail crawls and a coating to cover the exposed soft parts of the body, but also sometimes to allow a resting snail to adhere passively to surfaces such as rock, making a temporary sealing structure called the epiphragm. Mucus is produced by glands of the snail’s foot, specifically a large gland located below the mouth. The foot of gastropods is covered with a thin layer of this mucus, which is used for a variety of functions, including adherence, lubrication, repulsing predators, recognizing other snails, following a trail to a known destination, and also during reproduction. The discharge looks like gel, and it contains approximately 91 to 98% weight of water, depending on the species, combined with a small amount of high molecular weight glycoproteins (Denny, 1984). In Helix aspersa these glycoproteins reach weights of 82, 97 and 175 kDa. Many mollusks, both marine and terrestrial species, when inactive, use the secretion to stick to various surfaces. However, it is unexpected that a gel so diluted that it can commonly act as a lubricant, can also have such strong adhesive properties. In Helix aspersa there are two types of secretion. One type is translucent and not adhesive, the kind that the snail leaves behind as it moves (the slime trail), and a similar but thicker, condensed, more viscous and elastic kind, which is used to adhere to various surfaces. Both are clearly differentiated by the type of proteins present in them. A snail releases different kinds of mucus depending on the way it is stimulated. When the stimulation is normal the slime is viscous (sticky) but if the snail is disturbed continuously or even violently, it releases clear foamy secretions. In the case of Helix aspersa, the discharge is composed of synthesized products from various types of secretory glands. These are all single cell glands found in connective tissue and secrete their products via pores that pass between the epidermal cells. They are of various shapes and usually have a long excretory duct. There are eight different types of secreting glands. Four of these different types of mucus secreted protein, calcium, pigments, and lipids. Use in Cosmetics Snail slime is currently used in human cosmetics, by companies such as Biocutis, Misshaus, Alternative Secrets and Réelle Skincare. Snail slime was traditionally used medicinally from Ancient Greece to the Middle Ages internally against gastrointestinal ulcers, and in the form of syrup, to soothe a cough. Snail slime has also been used by the Bamiléké people of Cameroon to treat burns. Snail slime is commercially obtained from the common garden snail species Helix aspersa, which produces a secretion rich in proteins of high and low molecular weight hyaluronic acid and antioxidants. The secretion of the snail supposedly has a double function when applied to human skin: on one hand it is claimed to stimulate the formation of collagen, elastin and dermal components that repair the signs of photo aging and, second, is claimed to minimize the damage generated by free radicals that are responsible for premature skin aging. Snail slime varies in appearance and quality according to the environmental conditions, season, and food sources used by the snails. These factors supposedly determine the quality of the slime and therefore the properties of a product made with it. Source: /en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snail_slime Follow this link to read this post on our blog: http://farmkonnectng.com/2017/11/23/snail-slime-2/ Kindly follow this link to read more interesting agricultural articles- http://farmkonnectng.com/blog Follow us on twitter @farmkonnectng Instagram @farmkonnectng Like our page on Facebook @ www.facebook.com/farmkonnect
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Post by: Adegbola, Bukola Suliyat – bukola@farmkonnectng.com – 08093016914 Senator Ibikunle Amosun, the Executive Governor of Ogun State, has assured that the agricultural sector in the state would receive more attention than any other sector in the state come 2018. He stated this stated while speaking at the treasury board meeting on the 2018 budget held at the Obas Complex, Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs in Abeokuta. Amosun said the ministry of agriculture will receive a huge budget proposal in the state 2018 budget estimates, adding that agriculture will define government activities next year. According to him, agriculture has shown with all its value chains that it can provide employment, eradicate poverty and above all lead to economic diversification and industrialization of the state. Governor Amosun, therefore, thanked the ‘State Team Agric’ for showing and displaying ‘Ogun Standard’ in all their activities adding that more is expected from the team led by the commissioner for Agric, Mrs. Adepeju Adebajo next year. Adebajo, the Commissioner for Agriculture in her response, appreciated the state government for her commitment to agriculture saying that the sector is capable of diversifying Nigeria’s economy from its mono-economy. She reiterated that the state government is not only resolving to increase agricultural production but also to ensure food security in the State, South-West and entire nation as a whole. Source: Agro Business Times www.agrobusinessngr.com/amosun-pledges-support-agriculture-2018/ Follow this link to read this post on our blog: http://farmkonnectng.com/2017/11/21/amosun-pledges-support-agriculture-2018/ Kindly follow this link to read more interesting agricultural articles- http://farmkonnectng.com/blog Follow us on twitter @farmkonnectng Instagram @farmkonnectng Like our page on Facebook @ www.facebook.com/farmkonnect
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Post by: Adegbola, Bukola Suliyat – bukola@farmkonnectng.com – 08093016914 Senator Ibikunle Amosun, the Executive Governor of Ogun State, has assured that the agricultural sector in the state would receive more attention than any other sector in the state come 2018. He stated this stated while speaking at the treasury board meeting on the 2018 budget held at the Obas Complex, Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs in Abeokuta. Amosun said the ministry of agriculture will receive a huge budget proposal in the state 2018 budget estimates, adding that agriculture will define government activities next year. According to him, agriculture has shown with all its value chains that it can provide employment, eradicate poverty and above all lead to economic diversification and industrialization of the state. Governor Amosun, therefore, thanked the ‘State Team Agric’ for showing and displaying ‘Ogun Standard’ in all their activities adding that more is expected from the team led by the commissioner for Agric, Mrs. Adepeju Adebajo next year. Adebajo, the Commissioner for Agriculture in her response, appreciated the state government for her commitment to agriculture saying that the sector is capable of diversifying Nigeria’s economy from its mono-economy. She reiterated that the state government is not only resolving to increase agricultural production but also to ensure food security in the State, South-West and entire nation as a whole. Source: Agro Business Times www.agrobusinessngr.com/amosun-pledges-support-agriculture-2018/ Follow this link to read this post on our blog: http://farmkonnectng.com/2017/11/21/amosun-pledges-support-agriculture-2018/ Kindly follow this link to read more interesting agricultural articles- http://farmkonnectng.com/blog Follow us on twitter @farmkonnectng Instagram @farmkonnectng Like our page on Facebook @ www.facebook.com/farmkonnect
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Post by: Adegbola, Bukola Suliyat – bukola@farmkonnectng.com – 08093016914 Setting Up Your Fruit and Vegetable Farming Business 1). Select The Fruit and/or Vegetable Crop You Intend To Cultivate: The first step in starting a fruit and vegetable farming business is to decide what type of fruits or vegetables you intend to grow. As earlier stated, there are vast numbers of fruits and vegetables to choose from, and picking the right one or set is critical to growing a successful fruit and vegetable farm. Some questions to ask yourself in your decision making processes are: How resistant is this crop to pests and diseases? Is there a large demand for this crop? What are the risks of growing this crop? Where and how will the fruits and vegetables be sold? What volume of this crop should I first produce? When you’ve answered the questions to the best of your knowledge and are satisfied with the preliminary results your fruit or vegetable crop of choice may fetch you, you can go ahead to start a fruit or vegetable farming business in that regard. 2). Choose A Suitable Farmland: Depending on the type of fruit and/or vegetable crop you’ve decided to plant, you should choose a farmland that’d work perfectly for it. Some factors to consider in choosing a farmland include: Access to sunlight Topography Demographic Availability of water Soil type Every fruit and/or vegetable crop has the best type of soil or conditions in which it can grow, and your second job as a farmer is to choose the best farmland that’s suitable for the fruits and vegetables you’ve decided to grow. 3). Apply Fertilizer And Start Planting: Mix a soilless mix and a balanced fertilizer that contains equal percentages of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium with the soil. Soilless mixes are sterile and will help rid the soil of weed and diseases, and also provide great drainage for the vegetables. Next, separate each vegetable per container and plant the seeds at the correct depth. Also ensure there’s enough spacing between the plants. 4). Irrigate and Re-Fertilize: Water the plants carefully, at least once a day to keep the soil moist, and re-fertilize the soil when the plants begin to grow. 5). Harvest & Market: After a couple of months, depending on which type of fruit and vegetable farming business you ventured into, the next step is to harvest your crops, keep them in optimal storage locations, and sell them through your supply chain network. Challenges of Fruit and Vegetable Farming Some of the challenges of fruit and vegetable farming in Nigeria and many parts of Africa include: 1). Lack of experience 2). Land tenure insecurity 3). Low and unstable investment in agricultural research 4). Financial Constraints: High interest rates. Inaccessible credit due to tough conditions. Expensive for manually irrigated and controlled environment. 5). Storage Constraints: Poor storage methods. Lack of post-harvesting preservation skills. Theft. 6). Farm Inputs Constraints: High prices of farm inputs. Choice of variety to use. 7). Infrastructural Constraints: Inaccessible roads. Poor market facilities. . Marketing Constraints: Price fluctuation. Presence of middlemen. Competition. Conclusion Fruit and vegetable farming in Nigeria or Africa as a whole, is one agricultural sector with a lot of highly profitable sub-sectors. Whether you choose to focus on growing a particular type of fruit or vegetable, there’s an abundant market for the products, both locally in the country and for exportation to many parts of the world. Original Post by: Stan Edom Website: http://startuptipsdaily.com/how-to-start-fruit-and-vegetable-farming/ Follow this link to read this post on our blog: http://farmkonnectng.com/2017/11/20/start-fruit-vegetable-farming-business-nigeria-africa-2/ Kindly follow this link to read more interesting agricultural articles- http://farmkonnectng.com/blog Follow us on twitter @farmkonnectng Instagram @farmkonnectng Like our page on Facebook @ www.facebook.com/farmkonnect
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1. Fruits and vegetables are one the world’s most popular source of food. 2. China is the world’s largest producer of vegetable crops. 3. Fruits and vegetable farming is a great source of employment. 4. Some fruits like tomatoes are very high in the carotenoid Lycopene. This means that eating them can lower your risk of cancer. 5. A large amount of the nutrients in potatoes are just below the skin layer. 6. Most vegetables don’t have to be stored in a fridge, but should be kept dark and dry. 7. The Green-Yellow-Orange vegetables are rich sources of vitamin B-complex, vitamin-C, vitamin-A, vitamin K, calcium, magnesium, potassium, iron, and beta-carotene. 8. Fruits and vegetables are nutritious no matter their variant. 9. Fruits and vegetables have a lot of fibre. 10. Some fruits and vegetables contain toxins. 11. Apples give an average human more energy than coffee. 12. Tomatoes are botanically fruits because they have seeds. 13. The skins of most fruits and vegetables are the most nutritious, and so, are better than the actual fruit. 14. Orange peels are healthy because they contain a lot of fibre. #Fruits_Vegetables and #FaCtS #Benefits #FarmKonnect farmkonnectng.com
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Post by: Adegbola, Bukola Suliyat – bukola@farmkonnectng.com – 08093016914 The African continent has a vast abundance of land, resources, and climate variations that allows it to produce different varieties of food and cash crops in its agricultural sector. This industry goes on to employ up to 70% of the Nigerian workforce, while contributing about 40% of the country’s GDP. In the light of the economic output agriculture contributes to the economies of various African nations, the widespread demand and consumption of fruit and vegetable products in fast growing urban and rural areas has made vegetable farming in Nigeria or Africa a lucrative agribusiness to venture into. According to data made publicly available by Statista, the worldwide production of vegetables as at 2014 sits at 1.1 billion metric tonnes, with China been the highest producer at 25.2 million metric tonnes. Nigerian leads the production volume in Africa with about 1.1 million metric tonnes of vegetable crops produced in the year 2014, followed by Tanzania with about 339,193 metric tonnes produced in the same year. This excessive production and global demand for vegetable crops is quickly driving up the production capacity of leading producers like China, India, and then Nigeria and Tanzania in Africa. This opportunity is driving knowledgeable farmers living in these countries to take advantage of the fast growing market by either expanding their fruit and vegetable farms or to setup fruit and vegetable farms as one of their agribusiness subsidiaries. What Is Fruit And Vegetable Farming About? Fruit and vegetable farming is the cultivation of fruits and vegetables for human consumption. They can be grown by planting them in hanging baskets and window boxes or sown into dry or moist ground, and are widely consumed in many places around the world. Business Opportunities in Fruit and Vegetable Farming 1). A Great Source of Food: Fruits and vegetables have been feeding both humans and animals as far back as history has recorded. They’re highly nutritious and can serve as emergency meals in situations where cooking certain meals may take a long time to complete. Some commonly consumed fruits include: Apples Oranges Mangoes Strawberries Avocado Tomatoes Water Melons Paw Paws And thousands more. As for vegetable crops, there are different types of vegetables, and they range between leaf vegetables, root vegetables, fruit vegetables, pod vegetables, seed vegetables, flower vegetables, and bulb or stem vegetables. Some Leaf Vegetables are: Cabbage Broccoli (leaves / stalks) Grape leaves Lettuce Spinach Mustard Some flower vegetables include: Broccoli flowers Cauliflower Squash blossoms Artichoke Some podded vegetables include: Okra Pea Peanut Soybean American groundnut Black-eyed pea Some bulb or stem vegetables include: Onion Garlic Chives Some root and tuberous vegetables include: Cassava Carrot Potato Yam Tigernut Turmeric Bamboo Shoot 2). Consumer Goods: Asides just serving as a great source of food, fruits and vegetables are also used in the production of consumer goods like hair dye, olive oil, jam, foot rub, and metal polish. Original Post by: Stan Edom Website: startuptipsdaily.com/how-to-start-fruit-and-vegetable-farming/ Follow this link to read this post on our blog: http://farmkonnectng.com/2017/11/17/start-fruit-vegetable-farming-business-nigeria-africa-1/ Kindly follow this link to read more interesting agricultural articles- http://farmkonnectng.com/blog Follow us on twitter @farmkonnectng Instagram @farmkonnectng Like our page on Facebook @ www.facebook.com/farmkonnect
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Post by: Adeleke Oreoluwa-oreoluwa.a@farmkonnectng.com In its efforts to take advantage of the potential in the Nigerian agriculture sector, Oando and its JV partners as well as USAID have invested in improving agricultural practices in the country. This was made known at the annual Framers Day celebration in Igbogene, Bayelsa State which was in commemoration of the 2017 GRP, JV Partners-Oando Plc, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and NAOC. Speaking at the event recently, the Chief Executive Officer of Oando Energy Resources, Mr. Pade Durotoye, said: “We have taken it upon ourselves to re-orientate members of our host communities particularly the unemployed youths to embrace agriculture as a viable future for the Niger Delta and Nigeria at large. The hard truth is that beyond the oil and gas sector, greater opportunities abound in other sectors of the economy and we must take advantage of this.” Oando acknowledges the untiring efforts shown by farmers in providing sustenance for the country’s ever-growing population, providing raw materials to the Nigerian’s industries, and contributing substantially to the country’s foreign exchange earnings through its corporate social responsibility initiatives. According to Durotoye, “Today, through our GRP programme, the joint venture partners-NAPIMS/NAOC/OANDO-have set the pace for our peers to follow. We have successfully sensitized our community-based farmers on the importance of agriculture through the introduction of high yielding planting materials, fisheries activities, and formation of Cooperative Societies to access our micro-credit scheme.” Durotoye stated that event is geared towards creating the much needed awareness on the importance of agriculture in spearheading the socio-economic development and economic diversification across the country, particularly in the Niger Delta. He noted that the JV partners continued to enhance farming activities in these communities such fisheries activities, Home Economics training for women, and other vocational training for youths in areas such as Woodwork, Fashion Designing, Computer Training, Hair Dressing, Boat Engine Repairs, Electrical Installations (Domestic), Catering/Event Management, Welding/Pipe fitting among others as well as introduction of multifunctional kits, and formation of cooperative societies to access the micro-credit scheme. “To date, the Joint Venture has trained over 5,000 youths and women in various vocations, distributed millions of material, improved seedling to assist farmers in their agricultural production, in the quest to increase food security, provide livelihood for people, and steer the communities towards economic independence. “Agriculture is the backbone of any country. The sector plays an undeniable strategic role in the economic growth of both developed and developing countries, and as a result of the increased awareness in the sectors growth potential, the JV partners have now develop interest to boost agricultural practices in the country in order to improve on the 38.4 percent it contributes to the Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) which is the second highest contributor to the country’s GDP,” the Oando boss stated. Source: This Day www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2017/11/16/oando-jv-partners-boost-agriculture-in-host-communities-2/ for more info visit www.farmkonnectng.com facebook:Farmkonnect twitter:farmkonnectng Instagram:Farmkonnectng
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Post by: Adegbola, Bukola Suliyat – bukola@farmkonnectng.com – 08093016914 Setting up your Coconut oil Production Factory 1). Choose a Type of Coconut Oil: As mentioned in the previous post, there are about four or more types of coconut oil that can be produced. The virgin coconut oil is one of the most popular, but depending on your business location, it may not be the best option for you to go with. Choose a coconut oil that is in high demand where your business is operating in and focus on growing a successful business around that. 2). Create Your Formula: After choosing the type of coconut oil you want to produce, the next step is to create a formula for it. Each coconut oil formula is different from the next. You’d then need to study the nutritional requirements of each coconut, so you can determine how best to produce the oil. Some basics that could make up your coconut oil include coconut meat (copra), lauric acids, and linoleic acid. Making coconut oil from a good mixture of some of these will result in a highly nutritious product. But it’s best you attend a series of workshops and training on how to make high quality coconut oil, so you can get the best results. 3). Purchase and Mix the Coconut oil Ingredients One of the most important ingredients used in the production of coconut oil is a well-dried copra with a moisture content that does not exceed 6 percent. It is then further cut into very small chips in a copra cutter. The chips are further put into steam kettles and cooked lightly at a temperature of about 70oC for a minimum of 30 minutes. After cooking the copra, it is then put into the expeller continuously and pressed twice. The oil from the first pressing and the second pressing is then collected in a tank provided separately. The filtration process of this oil is done by means of a filter press and stored in MS tanks 4). Get the Feed Equipment & Machinery: Some very important Coconut oil equipment and machinery you should acquire in other to achieve maximum output are: Copra Cutter Bucket elevator Steam jacketed kettle Oil expeller Screw conveyor Crude coconut oil storage tanks Filter press Micro filter Filtered oil storage tanks Volumetric filling machine Baby boiler Wooden storage drums 5). Package Your Coconut Oil: After manufacturing the Coconut oil, it should be packaged right for its target market. It is always crucial to follow or improve upon the packaging standards of the most successful products in the market. When you do this, the look and feel of your product packaging will trigger a quality impulse anytime a person sees your product in the market for the first time. Bulk packaging can be done in tin containers. But HDPE containers and polymeric nylon are used for small consumer packs. The quality of your copra is ultimately related to the quality of your coconut oil. 6). Market the Coconut Oil: To sell your coconut oil feed, there are many ways you could go about it. Some of these are: Building a periodic supply chain to stores Owning a distribution outlet Building an 0n-field sales team And much more. Challenges of Coconut Oil Production The challenges of coconut oil production in Nigeria, Africa or many other places around the world mostly ranges between these listed below: 1). Lack of experience. 2). High cost of production. 3). Low consumer purchasing power. 4). Lack of finance 5). Poorly managed supply chain. Conclusion While there are several agribusinesses that have high potentials for profitability, Coconut oil production is a great one to venture into, if executed at the right scale with a broad diversity in coconut oil produced and sold both locally and for exports. Original Post by: Stan Edom Website: startuptipsdaily.com/coconut-oil-production-nigeria-or-africa/ Follow this link to read this post on our blog: http://farmkonnectng.com/2017/11/16/start-coconut-oil-production-nigeria-2/ Kindly follow this link to read more interesting agricultural articles- http://farmkonnectng.com/blog Follow us on twitter @farmkonnectng Instagram @farmkonnectng Like our page on Facebook @ www.facebook.com/farmkonnect
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-Coconut oil is easy to digest and protects the body from insulin resistance. -Coconut oil is a great skin softener and helps you do away with dry and hard skin conditions -Coconut oil can also be used as a makeup remover -Coconut oil benefits digestive disorders including irritable bowel syndrome and microbial related tummy bugs. -Coconut oil is made up of healthy fats lauric acid, caprylic acid and capric acid which contain antifungal, antibacterial, antiviral prosperities to boost the immune system. -Coconut oil prevents high cholesterol and blood pressure levels. -When applied to infected areas, coconut oil forms a chemical layer that protects the infected body part from external dust, air, fungi, bacteria, and viruses. -Coconut oil is rich in many proteins. These proteins keep skin healthy and rejuvenated, both internally and externally. -Coconut oil is rich in Vitamin E, which is essential in skin care. -Coconut oil prevents premature ageing and wrinkling of the skin, since it has good antioxidant properties. -It is believed that coconut oil plays an instrumental role in reducing the viral susceptibility of HIV and cancer patients. -Coconut oil contains saturated fat. #Coconut_Oil and #FaCtS #Benefits #FarmKonnect farmkonnectng.com
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-Coconut oil is easy to digest and protects the body from insulin resistance. -Coconut oil is a great skin softener and helps you do away with dry and hard skin conditions -Coconut oil can also be used as a makeup remover -Coconut oil benefits digestive disorders including irritable bowel syndrome and microbial related tummy bugs. -Coconut oil is made up of healthy fats lauric acid, caprylic acid and capric acid which contain antifungal, antibacterial, antiviral prosperities to boost the immune system. -Coconut oil prevents high cholesterol and blood pressure levels. -When applied to infected areas, coconut oil forms a chemical layer that protects the infected body part from external dust, air, fungi, bacteria, and viruses. -Coconut oil is rich in many proteins. These proteins keep skin healthy and rejuvenated, both internally and externally. -Coconut oil is rich in Vitamin E, which is essential in skin care. -Coconut oil prevents premature ageing and wrinkling of the skin, since it has good antioxidant properties. -It is believed that coconut oil plays an instrumental role in reducing the viral susceptibility of HIV and cancer patients. -Coconut oil contains saturated fat. #Coconut_Oil and #FaCtS #Benefits #FarmKonnect farmkonnectng.com
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Post by: Adegbola, Bukola Suliyat – bukola@farmkonnectng.com – 08093016914 The coconut oil production business is largely promoted as one of the most profitable small-scale production businesses any entrepreneur can venture into in Nigeria, since the producer doesn’t undergo the common risks and the high cost of production associated with other types of businesses. Coconut oil is majorly produced in countries like India, Indonesia, and the Philippines. But in countries like Nigeria, the coconut oil market is still in its infancy but experiencing a steady growth. There has been an exponential build-up in the demand for coconut oil in Nigeria since the year 2006, because of its widespread health benefits. This constant-growing demand has attracted a lot of Nigerian producers to quickly get involved in the sector, since great-sales potentials abound in its production. According to a statista report, in 2015/16 the global export volume of coconut oil amounted to 3.32 million metric tons, while In 2017/18 the global production volume of coconut oil was forecasted to amount to about 3.44 million metric tons, whereas Nigeria alone was estimated to have produced approximately 246,000 metric tons of coconut oil in 2017 alone. This figure shows that the production in line with the demand for coconut oil has grown steadily over the years, with Nigeria experiencing leaps in the worldwide ranking of coconut oil producers. What Is The Coconut Oil Production About? Coconut oil is an edible oil extracted from the kernel or meat (copra) of mature coconuts harvested from the coconut palm. It has various applications, and because of its high saturated fat content, is slow to oxidize, and thus, resistant to rancidity, causing it to last up to six months at 24 °C (75 °F) without experiencing any form of spoilage. Business Opportunities in Coconut Oil Production around the World From soap manufacturing to hair care, and much more, the opportunities and diversity potential of any Coconut oil production business remains vast. Here are some business opportunities in the Coconut oil production business in many places around the world including Nigeria or Africa as a continent: 1). Soap Manufacturing: Coconut oil can be an important base ingredient for the manufacture of soap. It is more soluble in hard water and salt water than other soaps allowing it to lather more easily. A basic coconut oil soap is clear when melted and a bright white when hardened and can be used as a skin moisturizer. Topically, coconut oil is important for the skin, it’s great for soothing dryness and evening irritation from rashes. It is also good for fighting wrinkles and signs of ageing. Some skin ailments like psoriasis and eczema can be taken treated with coconut oil, along with simple activities like removing makeup in the eye without the use of chemicals. The health benefits of coconut oil, causes a lot of people to go in search coconut-oil based soaps, in the process, making it a lucrative business to venture into. 2). Hair care Manufacturing: Coconut oil is rich in antioxidants and has antiviral, antifungal, and antibacterial properties. When used on human hair, it improves the scalp health, fights various infections and fungus, and supports general hair growth, all while adding a beautiful shine without the common harmful chemicals. It is useful to the hair for treating dandruff, hair growth, hair styling, and also for lice prevention and treatment. High-quality hair creams made with coconut oil are always in high demand. You can take advantage of the market’s preference for this and manufacture slightly low priced, but good quality oil to gain a quick market acceptance. Types of Coconut Oil (VCO) 1). Virgin Coconut Oil (VCO): This type of coconut is made from fresh coconut meat (copra). It contains 10 fatty acids that enhance human immunity and protects people against germs throughout the day. The VCO is usually extracted from freshly grated coconut meat (copra) through mechanical means which are free from high heat and chemical to preserve its full nutritional values. It’s best commonly used in cooking or even as dressing in a salad. You can also eat it on its own or apply to your skin to keep it soft and moisturized. Virgin coconut oil is abundant in minerals, vitamins, and anti-oxidants, and is considered the purest type of coconut oil. 2). RBD Coconut Oil – Refined bleached and de-odorized: The RBD coconut oil is colourless, tasteless and odorless. And since it is a refined coconut oil, it has more nutritional values than the virgin coconut oil, since the VCO is the oil coconut oil that is not refined. They are extracted from copra and then heat and chemical solvents (hexane) are applied to process the oil to remove all forms of impurities, taste and smell. There are also some better quality RBD coconut oils available where the manufacturer cold-presses to extract the oil from dried coconut flakes without the use of chemical solvents, and then apply a steam process to bleach and deodorize the oil. 3). Pure Coconut Oil (PCO): The pure coconut oil (PCO) is often yellowish or even brownish in colour. They are usually labeled as premium quality or 100% pure edible oil, which in fact, is of inferior quality. The discoloration and stickiness of the oil is a great feature that says it all. It is made in a fairly unhygienic condition where the workers expose the coconut meat to molds when they sun-dry, kiln-dry, or smoke-dry the coconut meat in an open space. They then extract the oil from the mouldy copra (i.e. dried coconut meat) and use cheap filtration techniques to refine the oil. The PCO has a short shelf-life of usually 6 months to 1 year, and turns rancid easily due to its poorly-manufactured condition. 4). Fractionated Coconut Oil (FCO): The fractionated coconut oil (FCO) is simply a fraction of the entire oil. After the oil is extracted, it undergoes hydrolysis by adding water to the oil. After hydrolysis, it further undergoes fractional distillation, which means that the oil is separated into different fractions based on their properties. In the case of the fractionated coconut oil, the fraction that is collected is the one that has medium chain triglycerides. Fractionated coconut oil has a longer shelf life than the Virgin Coconut Oil and does not smell of coconuts at all. The several uses of the FCO include: As a super-fatting oil in soaps. In skin-care lotions. In massage oil blends (famous for not staining the sheets). As a carrier oil for essential oils, vitamins, and actives. In medicines due its antiseptic and disinfectant properties. Original Post by: Stan Edom Website: startuptipsdaily.com/coconut-oil-production-nigeria-or-africa/ Follow this link to read this post on our blog: http://farmkonnectng.com/2017/11/14/start-coconut-oil-production-nigeria-1/ Kindly follow this link to read more interesting agricultural articles- http://farmkonnectng.com/blog Follow us on twitter @farmkonnectng Instagram @farmkonnectng Like our page on Facebook @ www.facebook.com/farmkonnect
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1. Skin Care 2. Bone Mineral Density 3. Improves Digestion 4. Lower Cholesterol Levels 5. Stress Management 6. Normal Blood Pressure 7. Strengthens Immune System 8. Boosts Energy 9. Prevention of Kidney Stones 10. Helps in reducing weight 11. Prevents heart diseases 12. Good for treating diabetes 13. Clears skin imperfections #Health #Benefits #Sugarcane_Juice #FarmKonnect farmkonnectng.com
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Post by: Adegbola, Bukola Suliyat – bukola@farmkonnectng.com – 08093016914 A sugar cane farming family on the Gold Coast has found a way to do well by doing less. As the farming community shrinks along the South East Queensland corridor, the Keith family, who are based at Woongoolba and own Rocky Point, were constantly wondering ‘what next’ to keep their land and turn a profit. They have now diversified their business practice and offer a range of sustainable garden supplies for all home garden projects including organic gardening, potting plants, fruit and vegetable growing, suppressing weeds and more! Local farmers have been doing it tough over the past ten years but recently published research by a team from QUT and Griffith University has unearthed a potential antidote to the problem. Simply shifting investment decisions around equipment and processing could avoid future mill and farm closures in the state’s southeast. Lead-researcher Ms Savindi Caldera, a doctoral researcher from QUT, said the findings showed that through strategically applying ‘lean and green thinking’, farmers could make the most of precious capital and ongoing expenditure. Lean and green thinking is an integrated approach focusing on resource optimization and promoting activities to “do more with less”. Lars Hall, Business Development Manager at Rocky Point, knows that this type of targeted lean and green thinking has been a farm-saving intervention for the Keith family, helping them identify the appropriate tools to reduce waste and non-value adding activities and actually do well by doing less. “We have realized that to complement our sugarcane farming, we can recycle urban waste destined for landfill, collecting pallets and crates and recycling them to produce ‘urban timber mulch’ which we then sell for use on gardens,” he said. Co-researcher Associate Professor Cheryl Desha, of Griffith University’s Cities Research Institute, and Board Member of the Energy Efficiency Council, said the findings had implications for all farmers battling rising operating costs. “Rather than buying into what’s popular or relying on sales reps, farmers can now directly see which types of resourcing and energy efficiency tools and programs best suit them, depending on their priorities.” Co-researcher Professor Les Dawes, of QUT’s Institute of Future Environments, also sees this type of research collaboration as critical to contributing to operational efficiencies and value adding to farmers. As recognition of Rocky Point’s diversification of farming practice and sustainability focus the family won the prestigious 2016 Australian Farmer of the Year. Savindi and her research colleagues have recently published this work in the International Journal of Cleaner Production, as well as two international conferences in Europe. Original Post by: Griffith News Website: app.secure.griffith.edu.au/news/2017/10/19/local-farmers-creating-value-from-waste/ Follow this link to read this post on our blog: http://farmkonnectng.com/2017/11/10/local-farmers-creating-value-waste/ Kindly follow this link to read more interesting agricultural articles- http://farmkonnectng.com/blog Follow us on twitter @farmkonnectng Instagram @farmkonnectng Like our page on Facebook @ www.facebook.com/farmkonnect
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DID YOU KNOW? -Sugarcane is a group of grass species from the Saccharum genus, that belongs to Poaceae, the family of true grass; and sugar is extracted from the plants, that are usually grown for commercial purposes. -Sugarcane is a perennial plant, native to areas of southern Asia, that grows best in tropical habitats, and reaches heights of between 2 to 6 metres (6.5 to 19.7 feet) and a diameter of roughly 5 centimetres (2 inches). -Most commercially grown sugarcane is a hybrid that is generally a cross between the species Saccharum officinarum and Saccharum spontaneum, although there are a small number of other plants in the Saccharum genus that may be used for this purpose. -Sugarcane plants takes 9 to 24 months to grow to maturity, depending on the climate, and they are the raw material that produces 80% of the world’s sugar production, while the plants are also used for making ethanol, molasses, bagasse, rum and other products. -The majority of a sugarcane stalk is made of water, with up to three quarters possible, while up to 16% can be sugar, and the fibre content can be also be up to 16%. #Sugarcane and #Facts FarmKonnect farmkonnectng.com
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DID YOU KNOW? -Sugarcane is a group of grass species from the Saccharum genus, that belongs to Poaceae, the family of true grass; and sugar is extracted from the plants, that are usually grown for commercial purposes. -Sugarcane is a perennial plant, native to areas of southern Asia, that grows best in tropical habitats, and reaches heights of between 2 to 6 metres (6.5 to 19.7 feet) and a diameter of roughly 5 centimetres (2 inches). -Most commercially grown sugarcane is a hybrid that is generally a cross between the species Saccharum officinarum and Saccharum spontaneum, although there are a small number of other plants in the Saccharum genus that may be used for this purpose. -Sugarcane plants takes 9 to 24 months to grow to maturity, depending on the climate, and they are the raw material that produces 80% of the world’s sugar production, while the plants are also used for making ethanol, molasses, bagasse, rum and other products. -The majority of a sugarcane stalk is made of water, with up to three quarters possible, while up to 16% can be sugar, and the fibre content can be also be up to 16%. #Sugarcane and #Facts FarmKonnect farmkonnectng.com
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Post by: Adegbola, Bukola Suliyat – bukola@farmkonnectng.com – 08093016914 Sugarcane farming business in Nigeria has a very high potential for expansion due to favourable government policies as well as the presence of arable lands that help the growing of the crop. As the number of sugar production and marketing industries increase, the demand for sugarcane has also increased. This high demand for the product has improved profit margins for sugarcane farmers over the years. The following are required to start a sugarcane plantation. 3 Steps to a Lucrative Sugarcane Farming Business 1) Gain Basic Insight/Knowledge You will need to gather as much knowledge as possible on how sugarcane is cultivated if you must be successful in this business. That’s, conducting a feasibility study. Cultivating sugarcane on a commercial-scale will require a vast land which is also one of the basic requirements in sugarcane farming. Cultivating and Tending the Crop Sugarcane cultivation require good water supply, this can be obtained from a natural source such as rain. Therefore, it is more cost-effective when sugarcane farms are cultivated in rainy seasons. The crops should be well taken care of so as to ensure a very good harvest. 2) Considerations for Cultivating, Tending and Making Good Yields After you might have planted your sugarcane, what follows is tending for the crop. This is necessary in order to make good harvest when the crop matures. Where you site your sugarcane plantation matters too, as not all species of sugarcane flourish in certain locations. Generally, however, sugarcane thrives well in regions with good supply of rainfall, that is, the rainforest belts of the world. Thank God, such is found in Nigeria. So, upon harvesting of your sugarcane, we now move to stage three. 3) Supply Sugarcane Products to Sugar Factories In supply, lies the essence of your sugarcane business. Supply channels need to be defined because your profitability in the business also lies here. Over the years, Nigeria has experienced a huge deficit in sugar production due to the increasing consumption of sugar in the country. This has led to a high demand for sugarcane by sugar production factories. This high demand has imposed the need to resort to importation of sugar in the granulated and cube form. One thing to consider when supplying is the competing demand between sugar industries and direct consumers. Achieving a balance between these two is one way to maintain a continuous profit flow. Several policies have been put in place to help increase the cultivation of sugarcane in Nigeria so as to reduce and eventually stop the importation of sugar. Potential Profits Huge potential profits abound in sugarcane farming especially when done on a commercial-scale. Due to the increasing demand, sugarcane plantation will be an ever-expanding trade. There is hardly any way you will not make good returns on your investment, doing sugarcane business in Nigeria. The steps outlined in this article are very clear and highly simplified. Boost Your Business Today To Make More Sales You can boost your business such as sugarcane business by increasing its awareness to a higher targeted audience today. In business, advertisement is king, and every serious business man or woman knows that. One of the ways to promote your business today is by advertising on Social media such as Facebook and Twitter. Original post by: Ekemini Ekpo Website: www.entmirror.com/sugarcane-farming-business/ Follow this link to read this post on our blog: http://farmkonnectng.com/2017/11/09/starting-sugarcane-farming-business-nigeria/ Kindly follow this link to read more interesting agricultural articles- http://farmkonnectng.com/blog Follow us on twitter @farmkonnectng Instagram @farmkonnectng Like our page on Facebook @ www.facebook.com/farmkonnect
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-The potato word comes from the Spanish word patata. -Potatoes are vegetables, but contain a lot of starch. --Potatoes contain various vitamins and minerals -Storing potatoes after purchase isn’t so efficient, but they are easy to grow. -Potatoes are the 4th most important food crop in the world after maize, wheat, and rice. -There are thousands of potato varieties, but not all are commercially viable. -According to a 2010 report, China is the largest producer of potatoes. -Although it has the same name, sweet potato is a root vegetable, and is loosely related to potato. -Potatoes can be prepared and served in different ways including: frying, boiling, mashing, and baking. -Potatoes are also known as spuds. -The french fries usually contain a lot of fat, and so should be eaten scarcely. -Potato chips are the most common food snacks around the world. #Potatoes and #Facts FarmKonnect farmkonnectng.com
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*A good source of employment at the right scale. *A great source of food. *Potatoes can serve as a major export product. *Remove stains. *To clean windows. *To make potato juice for ailments. *Remove warts. *Shine your silverwares e.g. cutlery. *For cosmetic purposes. *To relieve a burn. *To absorb excess salt from a cooking pot. *Eliminate rust from metal. *Power a light bulb. #Potato_Farming #Benefits #FamKonnect farmkonnectng.com |
Post by: Adegbola, Bukola Suliyat – bukola@farmkonnectng.com – 08093016914 1). Choose an Appropriate Site: Growing potatoes in an open area with full access to sunlight is the best way to go about the cultivation. The site could slope slightly, be protected from the wind, and be facing southward. A good source of water must also be located close to the farm to facilitate better irrigation whenever it is required. The soil should be well drained, deep enough, and loose with a P.H of 5.5 to 6.5, for optimum results. Although potatoes can grow on a wide variety of soil types, even though partially acidic soils are the best, it is always important that you carry out soil tests to determine the crop’s fertilizer and lime requirements. Choosing a farmland where no crop has been grown on for a consecutive period of 2 years is important to reduce the risk of diseases. The disease Free State can also be maintained by ensuring constant crop rotation. This prevents nematodes like the eelworm, which can live for up to 20 to 30 years, from infesting your farmland. 2). Acquire the Right Machinery: For a successful yield, it is important to have a tractor, irrigation equipment, fertilizer applicators, spraying equipment, cultivation equipment, tipping device, forklift, diggers/harvesters, graders, bag sewing machines, scales, and bins. While these machineries may seem directed towards high-income farmers, small scale farmers can still use traditional methods to carry the potato cultivation process. 3). Prepare the Soil: Before planting your potatoes, it is critical that you prepare the soil far ahead, so it would have settled properly before the planting season. This preparation process could involve applying fertilizer and organic matter to the soil, and removing large stones and weed. You should then prepare dry seed beds so as to prevent crop damage and compaction. Not paying attention to these results in a very low crop yield. 4). Choose the Potato Variety to Plant: This phase is highly important because, it is critical you grow potatoes that your market wants. In making this decision, some factors to lookout for when selecting a potato variety to plant are: Disease resistance Maturity Yield Storage lifespan Food quality 5). Follow Up Some Important Factors: Here, you have to properly manage your potato farm based on some critical checklists. Some of them to watch include: Timing: Potatoes should be planted in dry soil with a temperature of preferably 7°C. Planting Depth: The depth should be between 12 to 15 cm below the surface, and between 4 to 5 cm above the furrow base in order to protect seeds against wet weather conditions. The type of potato and its seed is also a major determinant to the depth of the soil. Seeding Rate: The size of the potato tubers and the cost management is highly important for an optimal seed rate. Spacing: The tomatoes should be spaced for up to 12 inches. The soil type, moisture, fertility, harvest size, and potato variety is taken into account when arriving at a decision for this phase. Drip Irrigation: This is one of the best irrigation methods in potato farming, because it manages the moisture content well, and so, can be used in applying nutrients in precise amounts. 6). Fertilizer Application: Substantial quantities of Phosphates, Nitrogen, and Potassium, must be applied to improve the tuber size, crop yield, and quality. 7). Controlling Pests and Diseases: You’d have to introduce strict practices that eliminate weed to improve the water level of your soil, eradicate pests like the eelworm, slugs, wireworms and aphids, and you’d need to contain diseases like the blackleg and bacterial soft rot, potato blight, rhizoctonia, common and powdery scab, black scurf, and several others. Controlling all these potato crop threats with strict practices is a very important step to follow. . Harvesting Your Potatoes: The right time to harvest your potatoes is highly dependent on the weather conditions, the growth season, and the desired tuber size. In the process of harvesting these potatoes, ensure there is minimal damage to the tubers before storage. You will start off the harvest process by desiccation of the foliage. This is critical when the crop is going to be stored for a period of time. If the crops will be sold immediately, desiccation (burning off) is not a compulsory step to take. After applying a desiccant, you’d need to wait for an average of 2 to 3 weeks before you can start or continue harvesting the potatoes. During this wait-period, the skin of the tubers will mature, and so increases its chances of surviving rot, due to damage or diseases at harvest and storage. 9). Storage: The potatoes should be properly stored within the first 14 days of harvest to enable cuts on the potatoes to heal properly. For large quantities of potatoes, they should be stored in plastic containers rather than wooden containers, since the plastic storage facilities are a lot easier to clean. Original post by: startuptipsdaily.com/potato-farming-in-nigeria/ Follow this link to read this post on our blog: http://farmkonnectng.com/2017/11/06/setting-potato-farm/ Kindly follow this link to read more interesting agricultural articles- http://farmkonnectng.com/blog Follow us on twitter @farmkonnectng Instagram @farmkonnectng Like our page on Facebook @ www.facebook.com/farmkonnect
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You can kindly add yours @Bioboy1213. Thanks |
@delivite I'm not practicing plagiarism here, sorry for not getting your permission before posting this but please kindly recheck the post, I included the source which is www.nextnaijaentrepreneur.com/tomato-processing/. Thanks |
Post by: Adegbola, Bukola Suliyat – bukola@farmkonnectng.com – 08093016914 Tomato processing on a commercial-scale is a capital-intensive project. It costs more than the average Nigerian can take on alone. But with the current economic and agriculture trends, it is still one of the most lucrative businesses one could embark on. Benefits of Tomato Processing Processing tomato into paste has many benefits. One of the most important advantages of tomato processing is that it reduces food waste. You can store processed tomato for a long time without fear of damage. Setting up a tomato processing factory translates to increased profit as a tomato farmer. Because you add more value to the raw tomato, you get more profit from sales for a longer time. Tomato processing lowers the cost of tomatoes during off-season. Because we lack proper storage facilities and good road networks, tomatoes are often very abundant during some times of the year and very scarce at other times. Processing ensures availability of tomatoes round the year, reducing scarcity. Processed tomato is easier to store and transport Drawbacks of Tomato Processing Yes, there are certain drawbacks to this business. Those drawbacks are also some of the most pressing challenges to this business. Capital No, you don’t have to be a Dangote to start tomato processing but the truth is, it is a cost-intensive venture. Many people are put off by the sheer size of what it costs to start a commercial-scale tomato processing factory. Loss of nutrients and reduction in taste Some of the processing and preservation methods like pasteurization and addition of chemical preservatives, coupled with all the heating, can cause a reduction of nutrients in processed tomato. It doesn’t help that many of the important tomato paste brands have such low quality that people get skeptical towards commercially processed tomato. As a result, many people only use processed tomato paste when there is not enough raw tomato to cook with. This drives up the cost of raw tomatoes, defeating one of the essential goals of tomato processing in the first place. The challenge is that you face an uphill task to convince people about the quality of your product. But once they are convinced, you are set to fly. How to process tomato to paste The following is a step-by-step guide to processing tomato to paste. This process is not definitive but should give you a general idea of what is required. Selection and Sorting The first step is to select and sort the right type of raw tomatoes for processing. Selection and sorting ensures that you use only fresh and healthy tomatoes for processing. Make sure you select only ripe, mould-free and high quality tomatoes of the right species. This will increase the overall quality output of your tomato paste. Weighing Weighing is important to decide the nutritional value of the processed tomato. This information will be very crucial during fortification and addition of preservatives. It will also make sure that all the batches of processed tomatoes have uniform nutritional values. Washing Wash in clean water to clean out dirt before processing. Blanching Blanching is also known as pre-processing treatment. It helps remove the skin, seeds and offensive odor from the tomatoes before processing. Put the tomatoes in boiling water for 5-7 minutes until the skin easily peels off. Peeling off the skin is important because the skin toughens during heating. Blending This is also known as mashing. It is the process of converting boiled tomatoes to pulp. For commercial production, you can use a manual or motorized fruit pulping machine to ease workload and stress, and to also make the process faster. Boiling, Sieving and Heating Boil the blended tomatoes and sieve with a clean, white cotton sack to separate the water and the pulp. To prevent bacteria growth in your finished product, you will need to increase the acid level of the tomato paste. To do this, add lemon juice while boiling to reduce the PH level to somewhere below 4.5. After sieving, you can now slowly heat the tomato paste, stirring it to avoid burning until you get the tomato concentrate. Preservation and Packaging Just like any other processing business, packaging your processed product is the key to a successful business. Be creative in you packaging style. The most common materials used in packaging tomato paste include: bottles, tins, and sachet. The method of packaging you use would determine what preservation techniques are necessary to increase the shelf-life of the tomato paste. For sachet and small can packaging (which can be opened and used at once), chemical preservatives may not be necessary. For bottle packaging, you can use pasteurization technique to preserve your product. Consult a nutritionist to determine the right method of preservation for whatever packaging you choose. Branding and Marketing At this point, what remains is to brand and market your product. For a small-scale business, you can spread the word about your product and supply to local restaurants and households. The market for processed tomato is equally large, beyond just Nigeria. Processed tomato is in hot demand in the international market and you can make quite a fortune from exportation. Use every means necessary to publicize your product: magazines, newspaper, television and radio adverts, posters, handbills-whatever you budget can afford. A well-publicized business has a higher chance of succeeding. Source: www.nextnaijaentrepreneur.com/tomato-processing/ Follow this link to read this post on our blog: http://farmkonnectng.com/2017/10/25/tomato-processing-1/ Kindly follow this link to read more interesting agricultural articles- http://farmkonnectng.com/blog Follow us on twitter @farmkonnectng Instagram @farmkonnectng Like our page on Facebook @ www.facebook.com/farmkonnect
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Thanks for reaching out to us @ Fayobless You can invest in the ongoing snail farming project with the sum of 5,000 Euros and you earn 4,000 Euros after each cycle (9 Months). We also have a special package whereby you invest with #50,000 and you earn 4% of your investment every month and that makes it 48% in a year. You can also be our introducing affiliate by referring people to us and earn the following as soon as your referral(s) make their cash investment of 5,000 Euros. 1 person - 100 Euros - #42,000 2 persons - 300 Euros - #126,000 3 persons - 600 Euros - #252,000 4 persons - 1000 Euros - #420,000 5 persons - 1 slot for free and you enjoy full right as an Investor. Kindly contact our office 08093016931 for more info... Thanks |
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Clothes can wait, vacation(s) can wait, every other things can wait but not #agriculture _ the main food source... #EradicateHunger now with #Agriculture farmkonnectng.com
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Post by: Adegbola, Bukola Suliyat – bukola@farmkonnectng.com – 08093016914 Plantain flour has now become a popular food today in both local and international market. In Nigeria, the potential national demand for plantain flour has been estimated to be in excess of 300,000 Tons/Annul. The current supply level is probably less than 20% of the estimated demand with only few companies producing on mechanized and commercial scale. The facilities required for a small/medium scale plantain flour mill include drying machine, slicing/chipping machine, milling machine and packaging machine. The average production cost per Kg of plantain flour is N236, while the average retail price per Kg of good quality plantain flour is N330 per Kg. Plantain is the major raw material for plantain flour production, and it is available all year round in commercial quantities in many parts of Nigeria. Nigeria is said to be the largest producer of plantain in West Africa. Plantain flour production and processing is one of the best businesses to venture into for many good reasons. One of such reasons being that plantain is in very high demand due to its many health advantages. Here are some of the many advantages of starting plantain flour production business today 1. The market demand is very high Plantain is a major food crop not only in Nigeria but in Africa and around the world. It also has many amazing health benefits. Plantain is high in fiber, rich in protein and low sodium. The demand is not high, it is monstrous! According to statistics, Nigeria is the 5th largest producers of plantain in the world, accounting for over 9% of the global plantain production. Yet, the demand for plantain is more than the supply. Many families now prefer plantain flour as a natural alternative for cassava because plantain flour is healthier. This means there is more market for you if you can produce high quality plantain flour. Venturing into plantain flour production business means you will have an ever-increasing customer base its nutritional value. Plantain flour is also very exportable which means more money for you. This is if you are thinking that local demand is not enough for you. The world is your market. 2. Raw materials are easily available Nigeria is the 5th biggest producers of plantain in the world. This means raw materials are readily available. Plantain growing states in Nigeria include: Delta, Edo, Enugu, Lagos, Osun, Oyo, Akwa-Ibom, Cross River, Ondo, Imo, Benue and Abia State. You can even get a piece of land and start your own plantain plantation so that your raw materials are within your very reach. 3. Marketing the products won’t be hard Majority of the people already know the health benefits of plantain so you won’t need to spend much to convince them to buy. You only need to produce high quality products and strategically position your brand in the market. You have to make sure they know your products exist and that they know where they can get it. You can make use of television and radio adverts to create awareness for your product. You can also leverage on social media to promote your brand. 4. Good replacement for cassava flour Plantain flour is also a good alternative to cassava flour in terms of health benefits. Doctors always warn their patients to consume plantain flour as healthier option to wheat and cassava flour. This is because it is rich in Vitamins A, B, C, Iron and Magnesium. 5. Competition is low Lastly, another advantage of starting a plantain flour production business in Nigeria in particular is that the competition is very low. The numbers of companies that are into plantain flour production business are quite few. This tells you that the market is less competitive compared to wheat flour production business. All you have to do is invest into marketing and promotion of your products so it travels far. You can use influencer-marketing as it works very well. How to start plantain flour production Draw up a feasibility plan Ok, so first thing you should do is to plan your business. You need to draw a feasibility plan to know if you are prepared to run the business. Depending on your financial capacity, you need to decide your first scale of production [small-scale, medium or large-scale] You need to know where and how to get the raw materials, what machines the production will require and which of those machines you can do without at first. For example, you can do without a peeling machine at the beginning but a hammer mill is very necessary. You also need to know where to get the machines in the first place and what they will cost. As a new business, you need a functional business/feasibility plan and the first thing to do while starting plantain flour production is to come up with one. Plantain flour production process 1. Sorting and weighing First thing is, you sort the raw plantain. You need to remove the bad, immature, rotten or unsuitable ones. This should be done manually because no machine has the intelligence to make that type of human judgement. The sorting process ensures you have only healthy plantain for production. After sorting, you weigh the raw plantain to get the quantity of input. This information will be important when you write the nutrition analysis. It is also important during fortification and packaging. 2. Blanching You soak the selected plantain in hot water for a while to soften peels. Peeling strong plantains could be a tiring and painful process as any woman would tell you. Blanching makes this process easier. 3. Peeling and slicing After blanching, you peel off the skin to get the plantain you need for processing. You can do this manually, of course, but for large-scale production you can do this with a machine which could be expensive. Beginners can do without the extra cost. After peeling, you slice the plantain in smaller chips. Again, there is a machine for this but for beginners, you can do it manually. 4. Drying After peeling and slicing, you dry the sliced plantain in preparation for milling. You can use an industrial drying machine which is more effective for commercial purposes. If you just want to make plantain flour for dinner, then you can use any of the manual drying methods available to you. 5. Milling This is where you obtain the plantain flour. You need a hammer mill for this. If you can’t get it, you need to find someone who has it. I can’t think of an alternative to using a hammer mill. 6. Sieving and packaging After milling, all that remains is to sieve the flour to get the desired fine particle sizes. You can send the larger particles back to the mill to get a uniform texture and size. The rest is packaging. Your product is ready for consumption or sale depending on what your goal is. 7. Marketing As said earlier, market for plantain flour is already there and the demand is interesting. You can introduce your product to local restaurants. You can also use any available media advertising strategies to get the word out about your product and brand. Don’t forget social media and how it gives wider publicity at cheaper cost. References hwww.nextnaijaentrepreneur.com/plantain-flour-production www.wealthresult.com/entrepreneurship/plantain-flour-mill-in-nigeria Follow this link to read this post on our blog: http://farmkonnectng.com/2017/10/24/plantain-flour-production-processing-business/ Kindly follow this link to read more interesting agricultural articles- http://farmkonnectng.com/blog Follow us on twitter @farmkonnectng Instagram @farmkonnectng Like our page on Facebook @ www.facebook.com/farmkonnect
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Farming is a profession of hope. It creates wealth, employment, happiness and our major necessity (abundance of food)... Say no to food scarcity INVEST NOW with FarmKonnect and let's work towards contributing effectively to global food security. Kindly contact 08093016931, 07050912230 or 09059102364 for more information. farmkonnectng.com
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Farming is a profession of hope. It creates wealth, employment, happiness and our major necessity (abundance of food)... Say no to food scarcity INVEST NOW with FarmKonnect and let's work towards contributing effectively to global food security. Kindly contact 08093016931, 07050912230 or 09059102364 for more information. farmkonnectng.com
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#DidYouKnow Africa produces 75% of global cocoa production; gets only 2% of the $100 billion market for chocolate. MUST develop value chains #FarmKonnect #AFDB_Group
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Thank you @Larwin |
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