Delta Fish Farmers get fingerlings and feeds

 

Fish Farmers

100 Fish Farmers were supplied fingerlings, feed, and cash by the Delta State Government to aid in their fish production. The government also distributed tractors to 64 cooperative societies, a move to ensure a boost in state’s agricultural output.

This news was disclosed by Mr. Ovie Ossai who is the Political Assistant on Special Duties to Governor Okowa at Asaba on Wednesday.

He stated that Government also supplied 106 cooperatives Mellon Sheller while 18 other societies received outboard engines and fishing gears support packages to boost production.

100 poultry farmers were supplied 200-day-old chicks each along with feeds and cash in order to aid their poultry production.

Aside from that, the government also distributed an improved variety of cassava cuttings, fertilizers, and cash to 475 cassava farmers.

The gesture was not limited to this set of farmers alone but was extended piggery and tomato farmers. The Government is embarking on numerous agricultural projects this year. This is another move by the government not to only diversify the state economy but also reduce the unemployment rate in the state.

We hope that the beneficiaries of the farming products will make good use of it to turn around the fortunes as well as the states.

100 Ondo Cocoa Farmers Trained On Processing Techniques

Cocoa Farmers

Ondo farmers get training in Cocoa Processing Techniques

The Federal Government on Tuesday trained 100 Cocoa Farmers in Ondo state. The training was on processing techniques for high yielding quality cocoa beans which will enable them export their produce to European countries and other parts of the world.

Speaking at the event in Akure, the acting Executive Director/ Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), Mr. Abdullahi Sidi- Aliyu said the effort was part of the Federal Government’s plan to develop the non-oil sector of the economy.

He stated that the project will give support to enhance technological/ technical skills of small-scale producers of agricultural produces.

According to him, the agency is starting with Cocoa, Cashew, and Sesame seeds, adding that those trained will train other farmers.

He included that for the Cocoa sub-sector, the fermentation process, among other factors determined the quality of the beans which meets the standard of the export markets.

The Ondo State Commissioner for Agriculture, Mr. Olugbenga Adefarati stated that about 5,000 bags of Cocoa seedling have been raised by the state government to assist farmers in the state. He was represented by the Special Advisor to the Governor on Agricultural Development.

He Urged young graduates to go into agriculture as the civil service was already over bloated.

The commissioners also urged the farmers to maintain their farms rather than selling it off as this was an asset. Most farmers in the state usually sold off their farmlands if there was no profit.

The event was organized by the NEPC in conjunction with the centre for the promotion of import from Developing Countries of Netherlands.

Forex and Rank in the World

Cocoa bean is a cash crop that can earn the farmer a lot of money in foreign exchange. All he needs is the right tools and support from relevant Government agencies to succeed.

At the moment Nigeria is Fourth largest Cocoa producer in the world coming after Indonesia. In the African Continent, it is the the third after Cote d’ Ivoire and Ghana.

The Government is making frantic effort to ensure that Nigeria moves of the rank. And by offering training, it shows that the government is serious about climbing up the ladder.

It is hoped that the training will be beneficial to the farmers and help them increase their production output. As the saying goes, no knowledge is lost

 

2018 Kano Farming & Agro Commodities Investment Workshop

Agro commodities

Farmers and prospective Agro commodities Investors are set to invest money in choice crops and agro commodities; Farming, local trading and also export.

Agro News Nigeria is presenting the opportunity for our audience in Kano state and environs to be properly educated and informed on the investment opportunities that exist for each of the commodities and most importantly which of these Agro commodities farmers and investors should focus on this year – 2018.

Soya beans,Hibiscus, Sesame Seed, Bambara Nut, Cowpea, Maize, Sorghum, Ginger etc present a huge opportunity for farmers and investors to invest on and make huge income, however some of these commodities are more profitable than the others.

Agro News Nigeria invites you to attend our 2018 Farming, Agro commodities Investment & Export workshop in Kano state.

The workshop is being put together to educate Agro commodity farmers and prospective Agro commodities investors on the numerous opportunities that exist for each of the major agro commodities; Soya beans,Hibiscus, Sesame Seed, Bambara Nut, Cowpea, Maize, Sorghum, Ginger etc and how they can best invest for maximum profit.

The workshop will be an eye opener for farmers and investors who are looking to diversify into local agro commodity trading and Export.

All Agro commodities are profitable but some are more profitable than others.

Sesame Seed, Cowpea, Soya Beans, Bambara nut(GURJIYA), Maize, Sorghum, Hibiscus, Ginger. Which should you focus your investment on this farming season 2018?

Do you know how much to invest in these commodities and the profit to make?

Do you know other opportunities in local trading and Export that are available in these commodities and how you can start?

How do you invest in these commodities; Farming, Local Trade and Export and still keep your full time job?

As a farmer for these Agro commodities, how do you have access to market that other farmers do not have and also access to finance without going for bank loan?

All this you will get to know at the 2018 Kano Farming, Agro commodities Investment & Export Workshop.

AGRO COMMODITIES IN FOCUS

Sesame Seed, Soya beans, Hibiscus, Bambara Nut, Cowpea, Maize, Sorghum, Ginger, Palm Oil, Debino, Raw Cashew Nut.

Focus: 

  • The Most Profitable Agro commodities to farm this year 2018
  • Most profitable Agro commodity to invest and trade in this year 2018
  • How to make money through local trading
  • How to diversify and make money through export
  • How to get access to buyers for Agro commodities
  • How to get loan for sesame and bambara nut farmers
  • Getting partners to increase your farm land
  • How to invest as part of the Agro News Cooperative
  • Getting access to finance and extension services as a member of the Agro News Cooperative

Date: Wednesday, 28th February, 2018
Time: 11;30 am – 4;30pm.
Venue: Royal Tropicana Hotel, Niger street, Kano, Kano State.
Fee: N10,000

To register, text name and email to 08034265913

http://agronewsng.com/2018-kano-farming-register-dont-miss/

Cocoa in Nigeria: The Challenges

Cocoa

Cocoa in Nigeria

Cocoa is a household cash crop and key agriculture produce in Nigeria. It is used for local consumption and is also exported which generates foreign exchange for the country.

According to statistics, Nigeria produced 367,000 tons of Cocoa in 2017.

The export data from 2017 shows that Nigeria exported 161,285.72 metric tonnes of agricultural produce. Cocoa export accounted for 33,294 out of this figure.

Given this figures, Nigeria is yet to tap into the potentials of the Cocoa industry in the continent when compared to Cote d’ Ivoire and Ghana. This makes Nigeria the third producer of Cocoa beans on the continent and fourth behind Indonesia. The Federal Government is focused on moving up the ranks as the producer of the cash crop over the next five years.

So what are the challenges faced in producing and exporting this Agric produce?

Challenges

The Challenges facing the country’s Cocoa sector are so enormous. These are challenges that have impeded the success of the Cocoa export at the international market.

Cocoa producers have not been able to meet the target set by the International Cocoa Organisation (ICCO) due to its challenges. Nigeria has been struggling to meet its target and as a result, the country loses $1 billion per year.

The Minister of Agriculture has attributed this to negligence on the part of Government over the past 30 years. According to the Minister, actual records of production and export are difficult to trace as they are not kept.

But according to Cocoa Farmers Association of Nigeria (CFAN), the challenges its members are facing are far more than record keeping.

The challenges include unfavourable weather conditions, lack of support from the government, and use of fake chemicals by farmers. There are no palliatives or incentives for the exports of cocoa in the country.

In Osun state, farmers were able to produce 30% of the projected cash crop in 2017 with no support from the State Government. This was due to unfavourable weather, fake chemicals and lack of funds and financial support from the government.

Farmers in the state lack funds and most times are unable to pay their labourers. This challenges facing the Osun state farmers have affected productivity and as a result, has led to a decrease in Cocoa production.

Solution

In order for Nigeria to increase the Cocoa production and export per year, the government needs to support the farmers. The government should offer support in form of subsidies, aids, loan and funds.

Government should also introduce economic policies that are favourable to the farmers. A bad economic policy will hinder the production levels of the farmers which will also lead to decrease in output.

If Nigeria is to climb up the rank, then government must act fast.

 

 

 

 

Exporting Ginger from Nigeria

GingerGinger is one of the most beloved spices in Nigeria. Nigeria holds the fourth place amongst the ginger exporters in the world. Annually, 160,000 tonnes are produced and it is one of the crops that plays a significant role in the Nigerian economy. The Nigeria state that produces the majority of this crop is Kaduna state. This is followed by Gombe, Nassarawa, Bauchi, Niger, and Benue State.

At the beginning of 2017, the local price of wet ginger was N6,000- N7,000 per bag and It is less costly to invest in.

Unlike other agricultural produce, the spice remains fresh for a long time as dry ginger can be stored for several months. This is beneficial to the farmer as he can wait till the prices reach a favourable mark.

Ginger Export

Ginger export can be done by anyone who is interested and focused on exporting this spice. But before you dive into this line of business, you must understand the stages of exporting an agricultural produce.

The necessary stages are as follows,

  1. Contract Negotiations.
  2. Having the necessary documents.
  3. Transferring the sold produce to the warehouse.
  4. Product revision.
  5. Transferring relocation to the port of departure.
  6. Shipment.
  7. Post-trade paperwork.

The standard weight of shipping Ginger is 50kg.

But just how do you learn how to run a successful ginger export operation?

  • You will need to learn the in and outs of ginger farming operation. This includes storing and production processes
  • allocate the funds that are necessary to start the business.
  • Plan how you are going to export your spice.
  • Have a proper documentation and the shipping process must be seamless.
  • Connect with Nigerians who live in the countries you are planning to export to. They can give you insight into the market in this countries.
  • Connect with other buyers from these countries by attending trade fairs and seminars.

Countries you can export to

You can export your produce to France, Britain, and Germany. The good thing about export the spice is that you can export through the year with the productive months being November to March.

Prices

The prices for the spice is very unstable and vary significantly from month to month. The average price is $2,250 to $2,600 per metric ton. The price can change depending on the associated cost with packaging and the specific contract signed with the client.

Farming organically! What is that?

Farming Organicallywhat is Farming Organically?

Farming Organically is basically growing crops without the use of artificial fertilizers, synthetic pesticides, and other synthetic treatment for plants.

This is a long process but requires a great deal of dedication and resilience to be able to achieve the desired result.

Although several certifications are needed in order to become an organic farmer, the rewards out weights the cost.

How do you start an Organic Farm?

In order to start an organic farm, the first thing is to locate the right area for your organic farm. The farm must have a land that has fertile soil, has access to good quality water and a good drainage system.

One of the requirements for having an organic farm is that a farmland needs to be free of fertilizer and pesticide residues for at least three years.

Key elements

It start an organic farm, the following key elements need to be in place

  • Soil that is made of microorganisms and Macroorganisms.
  • soil enrichment using natural amendments only as compost, green manure, vermicomposting and lime.
  • Multi-cropping. This is planting different seasonal crops simultaneously to achieve plant diversity.
  • Crop rotation so as to break disease cycle peculiar to some crop species.
  • Source for crops that are indigenous to the area.
  • Seed propagation.
  • Natural pest controls like neem and other natural bio-pesticides should be used.
  • Mulching is a common practice in organic farming.
  • No use of heavy machinery.

 

 

Oyo Farmers get subsidy for 12,000 tonnes of Fertilizer

Oyo farmers have cause to be excited as the Oyo State Government is set to offer subsidy for 12,000 tonnes of fertilizer.

This was disclosed by the state commissioner for Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Rural Development, Prince. Oyewole Oyewumi. He stated that the state is expecting 8,000 tonnes of NPK fertilizer under the Federal Government Special Fertilizer Intervention Programme.

The commissioner said that there is an ongoing process by the state government to procure 4,000 metric tonnes of UREA fertilizer to be sold to the farmers at a subsidized rate.

Oyewumi said that the state government is working effortlessly to ensure that there is food security, enhanced farm products as well as boost the state economy. He explained that fertilizer will be available in all eight warehouse and Farm Service Centres where agricultural inputs are being sold to the farmers in the state.

On the purchase of agrochemical products, the commissioner said that the government decided to concentrate on the procurement of fertilizers and not agrochemical as the farmers could easily access the crop protection products in their locality.

This is indeed good news for farmers in Oyo state as this will aid their food production in the state. Other states should imbibe this and implement it for their indigenous farmers.

Cashew Nuts: The Business

Cashew Nut

 Cashew nut is a business you should look into.

Doing a business in cashew nuts production can be very profitable if you understand the market and have access to buyers of the product.

But what do they use the nut for? Why are people buying a nut that is usually thrown away by most nigerians?

The process of producing cashew nuts is in four stages, each designed to produce quality edible cashew kernel. And where do you get the nut? It is gotten from the cashew tree.  The cashew nut is the commercial product that you can get from the tree. While the cashew crop can be used in the production of jams, soft, and alcoholics.

Starting a cashew plantation is hard work but the financial reward at the end of the day is worth the hustle. But the cash-crop just don’t grow immediately, you must be patient as it requires a lot of time. A prospective casher farmer must be willing to wait several years before his plantation starts producing cashew.

You can decide whether to process the cashew nut or sell the raw one. It is advisable to process and sell the nut as this significantly increases the market value of the product.

But before diving into the business of Cashew nut production, it is important to get more information and guidance from the right source. Such source includes the Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria (CRIN) which is located in Ibadan. As any business, exposure to information regarding that business is important as it reduces the risk of failure. Information as to where to grow the crop, the external and domestic market, the cost of business is what you should be looking out for.

Registration of business should be the next thing that should happen. This will give legitimacy to your cashew nut business.

 

 

Nigeria produces 57% of world’s shea nut

shea nut

 

 

According to the Minister of State for Industry, Trade, and Investment, Mrs. Aisha Abubakar, said that Nigeria produces about 57% of the world shea nut production.

She said that industry could benefit Nigeria if the informal sector was properly harnessed.

“Nigeria accounts for about 57 percent of the world shea nut production of which the global shea market for chocolate value is approximately 117 billion dollars while that of the cosmetics industry stands at 382 billion dollars. The 2018 conference no doubt explores the meaning of an African proverb that states if you want to ‘go quickly, go alone; if you want to go far, go together,” the minister said.

She further identified the benefits of developing the shea industry to include employment generation, poverty alleviation, wealth creation, attracting foreign investment.

The Minister said that her ministry will partner with the National Cotton Association of Nigeria (NCA) to organize the 16th annual International African Cotton Congress.

The congress will be focused on mechanized cotton farming to boost African cotton production, she said this congress will expose Nigeria International best practices and new technology in cotton production.

She added that the county was endowed with fertile land for cotton production.

Shea Nut farming would worth looking into.

 

Farmers to be trained on Rice value Chain

rice value chain

Training on Rice Value Chain

8,317 Farmers and Processors are to be trained on Rice Value Chain by the Federal Government and African Development Bank. This training is being provided under Agricultural Transformation Agenda Support Programme (ATASP) Phase 1.

Mr. Haruna Akwashika, the National Coordinator of ATASP-1 said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN). It was noted that this was done in collaboration with the AfDB.

The training is in line with the Government’s determination to diversify the economy, reduce imports and attain self-sufficiency in rice production.

According to Akwashika, 152,651 tonnes of grains of rice has been released to the market by farmers who benefited from the programme.

He said that 3,931 beneficiaries on cassava and 3,498 beneficiaries on sorghum value chain. 205 youths have been trained on seed production technology as it is believed that one of the problems farmers are facing today is the inability to get improved seeds.

“We are working assiduously on this to make sure that improved seeds are made available to farmers.“More than 40,000 youths have also been trained in various aspects of agribusiness.“About 120,000 new jobs have been created along the commodity value chain component,’’ he said.

From the programme, eight clinics, 21 hand pumps, five rural markets, 10 primary schools in the seven participating states have been provided in its infrastructure development component.

The participating states include Anambra, Enugu, Jigawa, Kebbi, Sokoto, and Niger states.

ATASP-1 was established in 2015. It is funded by the Federal Government and AfDB as its contribution to agricultural development in the country.

The Main objective of ATSP-1 is to attain food and nutrition security, employment, wealth generation and import substitution in the country. It can be recalled that the FG said the country will achieve self-sufficiency in rice production by 2018.