₦airaland Forum

jethro2:
If Abeokuta is bad, Lagos is worst at night. Every bus stop in Lagos has a policeman by midnight. No N100 for Lagos.
There was a particular one that said the driver was trying to dodge. He delayed us for an hour and we begged before he finally collected N500.
Same within streets in Lagos. It was a terrific first time experience.
We finally got to our destination by 2am

This produce toll is one of issues agro business face in Nigeria that eat into our bottom line! The majority of them are touts and the levies are illegal! The Minister of Agriculture must urgently address this issue as it is becoming too much! Its worse in southern states and Benue!

I have written to the Agriculture ministry, trade and investment sometimes in 2013 about the issues and yet we have not seen anything meaningful being done to address this problem!

I think agri business groups should always try to address this issues if they have any opportunity of meeting the minister at events or town hall meetings!

crazysaint:
I can remember, my grandpa has land in that region, and that was my possesion he gave to me as his only grandchild. Pls u'll excercise some patience let me make enquiries were the land is located, i promise to get back to you.

This guy is surely a funny guy! Can you imagine! Your Grandpa gave you a land in Abuja? And the OP has even agreed to wait for you as you look for the elusive and illusive land! Lol

jethro2:
Believe me the so called elitist market has its own share of the market. Its more sustainable than the unstable price change of the open market. What they demand is quality?. Which is not too difficult to meet. All one needs to do is extra work.
Yes the demand supply ratio can. Nigeria buys imported tomatoes of lower grade at N1000. Getting a better quality at for less is a big advantage.


National Bureau of Statistics you say?
Where and when last were data's collated?
In Nigeria?
Where did they get the figures?
Big Woooww.
I guess i give up.
Your postulations or whatever are not realistic.
And like i said I completely gove up.
quote author=jeffmyson post=30007747]And I also encourage agri business to focus on the mass market because that is where the money is not the elitist market. How many people can afford 400 Naira /Kg tomatoes in Lagos? Is the market sustainable? Can the demand supply ratio keep you in business? What is the minimum wage and what percentage of it does people spend on food (on average household spend 30% of food budget on vegetables), what is the population of the city and household calculations?

When doing postulations and feasibility let us always take advantage of data released by the National Bureau of Statistic (its always on their website and free) to determine if our proposed business makes "reasonable economic sense" and if available data on consumer earnings and buying behavior will support the business model!

National Bureau of statistics are very reliable please! Corporate Nigeria and International rating Agencies use their data. Forget about how they collate their data as that is their professional business and focus on making positive use of those data.

I still maintain that 400/kg tomatoes market is limited as of today! The people who can afford it are very few percentile of the population whose earning averages minimum of 250k per month and that is the elite and expatriate community. The focus should always be on the mass market because that is where the money is!

jethro2:
No one is disputing that so what are you betting? Please go over that post again. "I said Dangote tomato processing plant said they have seed that can yield 100 tonnes per hectare" It was written in the paper of which day or month i cant remember.
I am sure google could help with that
Please lets try to read in between lines.

I was referring to Dangote farms with their outrageous claims not you. That Is why farmers refused to buy the seeds from him and rather asked him to try and farm it himself in his demonstration farm. I don't think anyone is here to scam anyone on this thread. We are all learning! But please no shout figures too much as some of those e-farmers will think it is very easy and the next thing they will start tomatoes farm and when they fail they will start looking for someone to blame for their woes!

Tomatoes farming is not very easy! It require efforts and vigilance too! If you really want to know the wahala in it visit Kadawa Valley in Kano, you will see how northerners suffer for those tomatoes you consume everyday!

Cheers!

jethro2:
Sir, I was sharing my stories, my experience in the farm. I expect questions from my audience but none is forthcoming. My stories becomes shorter because i can afford to cut corners.
Don't mind me sir.
Pest and Disease of tomatoes
Like you rightly said, bacterial wilt is o,e of the major sickness for tomatoes.
When we have on the farm, we kept applying every kind of pesticide, insecticide or whatever. Since we don't even know what it is. Eventually i have to do some little research. I found out it has no cure
One has to uproot the whole plant and burn to prevent the spread of it.
Bacterial wilt is from the soil. Beat method is to either use seeds that are resistance or find a way to treat the soil.
Si,ce it enter the plant through the root and the green house are sometimes treated in pots and bags. It becomes save.
The green house in Nigeria is too expensive. Dizengolf is selling at N1.100,000. How many farmers can afford that?

Can you imagine? 1.1m for that rubbish they are selling. That same size of greenhouse in kenya cost like 250k, I don't know why Naija things are always different!

I believe if green house are cheap, many people will go into the business of vegetables and there will be supply all year round!

konos:
Pls I need assistance. Where can get my machines for production fabricated in Nigeria. This china product is expensive what with level exchange rate now. Urgen

Go to FIIRO at oshodi and try your luck! They might be able to fabricate it for you!

Cheers

And I also encourage agri business to focus on the mass market because that is where the money is not the elitist market. How many people can afford 400 Naira /Kg tomatoes in Lagos? Is the market sustainable? Can the demand supply ratio keep you in business? What is the minimum wage and what percentage of it does people spend on food (on average household spend 30% of food budget on vegetables), what is the population of the city and household calculations?

When doing postulations and feasibility let us always take advantage of data released by the National Bureau of Statistic (its always on their website and free) to determine if our proposed business makes "reasonable economic sense" and if available data on consumer earnings and buying behavior will support the business model!

toyoutoyou:
U are the one saying the truth.The other guy is just trying to toast the naïve once into vegetable farming that requires much capital resource in term of irrigation supply.Based on all the earlier calculation and market competition,all ur profit from ur tomato produce might just bring 150,000 to 200,000 per hectare if u invest let's say 40,000 to 50,000Naira on tomato farming.U will need up to 10hectarees of land bbefore u can even make up to #200,000*10nd the total amount of money to establish such hectares of land is about 400,000-800,000Naira.SO do ur calculation very well before anyone lures u into somethg he is not well grounded in its knowing. What we do in our organization is strictly on vegetable farming and I've been working on tomato for the past 3years.There is money in vegetable production but not as much as the sweet-mouthed guy is trying to make u believe.U will need to practice a large scale farming before u can even make up to 2-3million Naira as ur possible return.If it's that easy,the whole Nigerians would have turned to millionaires.Thank u.

I can even place a bet that no "Open Field" farmed tomatoes can ever yield 100 ton / Hectare, it is absolutely impossible for now. You can only achieve those levels of yield in a green house operation. The highest you can achieve based on todays data is 40 tons maximum ( that is if you try well well).

My father always told me "You can't take some one where you have never been to". I always encourage Young farmers to be patient and stay the course. Agri business is lucrative but it takes patience, understanding, doggedness and experience to arrive at the millionaire status.

Today we have potential farmers living in Lekki or Yaba and want to earn millions in vegetable business. They claim they want to be farmers but don't want to move to the rural areas to walk the talk! I just laugh them in swahili!

panzaar:
Creating a network of small markets begins with registration of an association or cooperative of farmers outlets with emphasis on quality control, standardisation of farm produce, with facilities such as mobile cold rooms. This market must be fully controlled by farmers or their representatives. Anyone who wants to join must register with the association and adhere strictly with the rules of the association.

I am working on acquiring mobile cold rooms for the preservation of perishable food items. This will help such markets in guaranteeing availability of a variety of food items throughout the year.


Jethro, I believe we can call for expression of interest of young agribusiness men and women
sometime in the year.

My dear young and able comrades, we can do this.

If we can think it, we can do it.

My brother forming associations is not the solutions! That's exactly what those guys at mile 12 are doing. Let's encourage private businesses to take the lead and bring standard products to markets at very good prices. There are alternative models to reach the market aside the open market model.

We have to start by creating packing houses at the point of produce origin! Pack them well and transport them efficiently. By removing the inefficiency in the chain you can even sell cheaper than the guys at Mile 12 and then you will see how the paradigm will shift!

Liferace:
"Pavore understand that,though Dizengolf is selling a tomato green house costs a million naira(some other things inclusive) but i believe if done locally it might be cheaper and within the reach of small scale farmers.

The dizengof stuff cost a lot and similar greenhouse cost less than 200 to 300k in Kenya. I think Naija things are always overrated. I am still on the look out for how we can develop a local option for the greenhouses!

panzaar:
With great passion, I followed your thread and I must say that its quite interesting.

As a businessman and by experience, I have a strong conviction that the vegetable or tomato cartel in the open market such as mile 12 can be broken by bypassing these big markets and creating a network of small markets in cities across southern Nigeria especially Lagos by lowering prices slightly in the short run.

This creation of a network of small open markets must come from the concerted effort of dynamic and passionate young agribusiness men and women. A good example of this small open market exist at Iyana Iba bus stop along the Badagry express way in Lagos where assorted vegetables are sold every saturday from as early as 6am. Most of these sellers and farmers sell produce from nearby small farms and from Badagry. The vegetables sold in this market are of very good quality and very affordable.

I must also say that I'm very much interested in tomatoe farming especially after the training you delivered at Ogbomoso under YABDI.

Keep up the good work.

Good point! We need to break that cartel! It won't be easy but it is doable! I am already working out a model scheduled for launch later in the year. We have to find a way to remove the inefficiency in the chain and return higher value for end users and farmers. The cartel don't care to innovate and just want to collect their share today!

I just don't understand why in Nigeria of 2015, tomatoes are still being sold in baskets and half of it rot or damage on the way while Ghana and Benin Next door have migrated to the crates system. Imagine even Onions are still being transported and sold in Sack Bag rather than mesh bags!

My take is that our people are buying a high price for the inefficiency in the system.

Still Hiring. Keep the CV coming!!!

jethro2:
We have been discussing and exchanging ideas on the first type of market which i refered to as Open or general market.
Now the second type of market which I termed standard market.
I first heard of this type of market from the Pacesetter farms.
They produce tomatoes to supply Shoprite at Ibadan at N400 per kilo.
Once in a week they supply 500kg.

Hmmmnn. You wonder
What makes the market unique
1. The packaging and specifications are given by the buyers. Most cases a perforated paper cartons with label such as
1. Name of producers,
2. Day of harvest
3. Size in kilo
4. Weight etc
The tomatoes are also sorted out in Sizes and quality
Like earlier said, this kind of market demands for quality and consistence in supply.
This type of markets are Shopeites, hotels and restaurants, grocery stores, Spars. Eateries etc
Before you can supply, there must have been an agreement signed to be consistence in supply and to always bring quality.

Imagining you having just 10 of those network to supply throughout the year.
With time we may have to so some estimated counting's of all the standard hotels.
52 weeks in a year
500kg for 10 network gives 5000kg
52 multiply by 5000 gives 260,000kg in a year
Then lets assume we get to supply at N200
260,000 multiply by N200.
Do the maths yourself ?
But as usual, its easier said than done
e easy for paper to calculate roi
On a more serious note.
Have you wonder where these group of markets are getting their supply from?
Off course we all know they don't patronize the local farmers.
Nor did they source from mile 12 market
Guess what?
They import.
Import?
Yes vegetables and fruits are daily imported into Nigeria from other African countries

Supermarkets (Shoprite, Spar) will only buy tomatoes that are of same size, colour and variety. Most Nigerian suppliers are not able to offer this because it requires a lot of sophistication to be able to offer the spec they need. Another factor is that most Nigerian tomatoes are open field farmed and deteriorate easily as soon as harvested. For tomatoes to last 2 to 3 weeks they must be harvested before they ripe and artificially ripened in a ripening room using a controlled method that preserve them.

We are still a long way from south africa and kenya who have developed an organized way to run successful vegetable farms.

jethro2:
I will start from question 2 first. Keeping question 1 till later date.
Is it possible to make N10,000,000 from an hectare of tomato?

From calculation
An hectare of tomato should yield minimum of 20tonnes from an hectare.
40 hectares has been achieved in Benin Republic.
Dangote proposed tomato factory recently announced planting a variety that will yield 100 tonnes from the same hectare

To be candid, no tomatoes farm will yield 100 tons per hectare unless it is grown in a green house. Dangote farm postulation is just a pipe dream and that is why farmers in Kadawa, Kano refused his seeds and asked him to try it out on his demonstration to see how it works first.

The problem with most young farmers is that they want to become overnight millionaire in farming business! It just does not work that way. We have people who just want to attend a 3 hours seminar and then start their own farm immediately and most times they always fail. They are deceived by those peddling those seminars and when they finally go into it, they find out its not that easy and profitable and they end up frustrated.

Farming is a vocation and it takes time and experience to become very profitable.

jethro2:
Mile 12 stand out as the main fresh vegetable market in Nigeria.
Its purely dominated by the Northerners.
Why
90% of vegetables consumed in Lagos are brought in from the North. Virtualy nothing is produced in the. South west.
Lagos alone has over 10,000,000 million people.
Like i earlier said, tomatoes has no enemy. Its consume by all

@jethro2, why do you think mile 12 is dominated by northerners and in extension fresh Produce business in Nigeria and in your own opinion can those fresh produce be grown in South West Nigeria?

My take on the whole issue is that the Lagos markets operates in cartels and tend to control the supply and in extension the price offered to farmers. This is where we need young savvy entrepreneurs to break the cartel and deliver quality, hygienic products at very affordable price.

The mass market remains the key to success in Agri business and I would rather sell 1000 basket a day for 20 naira profit than sell 100 basket a day for 50 naira profit. The money is in the mass market and we need to start seeing it that way and working that way.

Another issue with majority of our farmers is that every produce is heading towards lagos thereby creating a glut in the market which invariably leads to price reduction. There are many cities in Nigeria with less population but with good markets for fresh produce and can offer better prices.

Cheers!

NosoChic:
Thank you for your time.

What steps does one need to take for a small business looking to export food items such as crayfish?

I am also willing to learn from any established business.

Perfect!

First you need to answer some questions regarding your potential exports, these questions are serious and you need to be able to convince yourself that the risk can be mitigated.

1. What is the market you are exporting, its size and potentials.
2. Will the market be sustainable in the long term to keep you in business.
3. Do you have a customer already? If not have you started marketing to ge a customer?
4. What is the agreed payment term with your clients? An LC is usually the most preferable but most buyers won't offer this especially to a newbie exporter. You have to consider this carefully?
5. What is the specifications of the product you are the exporting and are they acceptable international standards
6. What are the Food safety requirements of the importing country and does your products meet those requirements. For example you can't export groundnuts to the U.K if the groundnuts does not meet aflatoxin level of 4PPB for food consumption or 20PPB for animal food. So you have to be careful and consider the regulations prior to doing so as the E.U market takes them seriously.
7. You have to register with NEPC prior to exporting!

Hello,

I do have more than 3 years experience exporting commodities!

What do you want to know? I suggest you ask your questions on this forum and you will get your genuine answers.

Don't try to hide anything or ask for private discuss as you can receive the wrong answers and get your fingers burnt!

Expecting your questions here!

Thanks

Still hiring folks! Keep the CV rolling in. Remeber to state your location of choice and position in your mail heading.

Still calling!

still Hiring...keep the CV's rolling in! Remember to state your location of choice.

still Hiring...keep the CV rolling in!

Socrates05:
I resides In Warri & am interested. I had B.Sc(hons) Business Administration & NIM.
Contact: 08030588641. I will send my Cv later.
Thanks

Please email your CV and we will contact you.

Please include your Locations of choice in your mail headings.

thanks

We are an Agri Produce company with various businesses in the export of agri commodity and industrial minerals. we recently set up a new Division for the wholesale Distribution of fresh Commodities across Nigeria.

Our Company is interested in Hiring suitably qualified persons for the positions of station Managers sales officers and sourcing officers in our new business division.

POSITION:[/b]Station Manager: (Location: Abuja, Lagos, Port harcourt, Warri, Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom, Onitsha, Owerri, Aba)
Job Description: The person will be responsible for all day to day management of his station affairs including sales, accounting and meeting up with daily schedules and target and uploading final sales data to the company network.

qualifications: HND, BSC AND OND with a flair for marketing, business administration, and Agriculture.

Remuneration: N30,000 to N40,000 Basic salary with Commission on daily sales.

send CV to: hr@hansandjohn.com.ng

[b]POSITION: Sales OfficersLocation: Abuja, Lagos, Port harcourt, Warri, Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom, Onitsha, Owerri, Aba)

Job Description: The Right candidate will be responsible for marketing and sales of assigned fresh Produce and will be reporting directly to the Station Manager. He should preferably be someone with a flair for sales and marketing and should be able to work without supervision.

Qualifications: OND, NCE, SSCE

Remuneration: N20,000 Basic with Commission on daily sales and target.

send CV to: hr@hansandjohn.com.ng

[b]POSITION: [/b]Sourcing Officers: (Location: Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Sokoto, Plateau)

Job Description: The right will be responsible for sourcing of fresh Agri Produce according to the guideline specifications and prices, management of sourcing collection warehouse, payment of suppliers and organizing transport and logistics of sourced commodities. The right candidates must have flair for agricultures and job roles will include field visit and sampling and the person must be tech savvy.

REMUNERATION: N35,000 to N40, 000 per Month with incentives on satisfactory Job Performance.

send CV to: hr@hansandjohn.com.ng

DEADLINE: 14/02/2015

Mohammed83:
Just got confirmation frm Head of operations Zenith Bank Bauchi dat so far 4 awardees in Bauchi have been credited with their 1st tranches, so my apologies 2 @ Jeffmyson. I just hope those of us yet 2 be credited receive our payments soonest.

It's really sad wen u're left out of d early party, but cheers all d same!

No problem sir! I believe everyone will be credited bro and I will urge you guys to exercise patience let's see what this week will bring.

Most probably I think those who have not been credited are part of the second tranche!

Mohammed83:
Any awardee in d north-east rcvd alert yet? I doubt if d guy from Taraba is speaking the truth.

My friend why should I possibly misled you ? What do I have to gain from it? I told you that I have been paid, I was paid my first tranche on friday and I visited the bank this morning and confirmed it and even withdrew from it to pay a vendor for digital scale supplied to me.

You don't need to panick, you will get paid and everyone will eventually get their money.

Cheers!

mkmyers45:
I also received my account number 8 days after the notice

what do you mean sent it?

Anyway lets wait and see

I received mine 2 days after I started the process and I sent it to Zenith head office through a letter! The bottomline is that everyone will be paid eventually! Keep faith, south east awardees are now being paid, I believe north east will follow shortly.

mkmyers45:
where in North east? Im in North east too and did not get anything

Taraba sir! However, I opened my account the very first week we were asked to do so and sent it.

Just to confirm to the house that I was credited on friday at 5:25 pm by Zenith Bank for my first tranche.

Any Zenith Bank awardee with similar experience. My business is based in north east.

Cheers!

Happy New Year to all the members of this forum and thread! I wish you all the very best in your Businesses.

As 2015 starts, I wish all awardee's will hit the ground running with their business and I want everyone to look at 2015 from their windshield and not the rear view Mirror. We should measure our success by Goals we set and not results because Results are the end products of Goals. The effect of Yesterdays Goals are Todays Results.

Cheers all!

@ Terry1, to be candid your case is tricky a little. Because if you were to rent a place with your first tranche, the rent will almost run out before you get the next tranche. It is imperative you think hard and wisely.

For your product you need Nafdac standard specification for food grade factory and equipments. This is usually a four roomed space with the septic tank required to be located atleast 30 metres from the water source. You cannot start the Nafdac process in the interim as it will require inspection of both factory space and equipments which your tranche 1 can't cover.

I will advise you to process your paperworks necessary for Nafdac certification like the trademarks and co, while you await the second tranche in order to start up.

Please do go to FIIRO, Oshodi as they have standard set of equipments for Plantain flour Business.