How to Start Grape Farming Business in Nigeria: Your Best Guide
Photo by Jonathan Colon
Grape farming business in Nigeria is one of the many agribusiness investments with great returns. So, if you have been contemplating on an agricultural investment to embark on, grape farming in Nigeria is the catch. The climatic conditions in Nigeria are in favor of grape farming business. If you are a lover of jam or wine, then you have been contributing to the value chain of grape farming business.
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The full potential of grape farming business in Nigeria has been hugely untapped over the years. This is so because, a large percentage of the grapes consumed in Nigeria are imported. The good thing about grape farming business in Nigeria is that you can start on a little scale right there in your backyard.
The objective of this article is t provide you with all the needed guidance to succeed in grape farming business in Nigeria. So, just sit back and enjoy your reading as it promises to be informative as well as educative too.
Why Grape Farming Business in Nigeria?
You may be asking why invest your money into grape farming business in Nigeria. Well, the answer is very simple and clear. Due to the huge acceptability of grapes and grape products in Nigeria, the profit is very great. So, if you want to make money and lots of it then grape farming business in Nigeria is for you.
The Health Benefits of Grapes
There are numerous health benefits that you can enjoy simply by consuming grapes. The grape berry is packed by vitamins A, C, K, and other minerals like iron, copper, and manganese. Apart from the aforementioned nutrients, you also get the following benefits listed below by consuming grapes:
- The fibre that is contained in grapes helps in the prevention of constipation and indigestion.
- High consumption of grapes in children help reduce asthmatic symptoms
- Due to the low calori content of grape fruits, it is the ideal fruit for diabetic patients.
- Grapes also contain polyphenols which help reduce the risk of cancer and diabetes.
Basically, grapes exist in two categories which include the “table grapes” which can be used as a sweetener and the “wine grape”.
Step-by-Step Guide on Starting Grape Farming Business in Nigeria
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Grape farming business plan
In order for you to succeed in grape farming business in Nigeria, it is very essential that you have a business plan. Without your grape farming business plan, you will be operating your agribusiness blind. Your business plan will contain things like the market survey, cost analysis, SWOT analysis, and so on. So, if you want to really carve a niche for yourself in grape farming business in Nigeria, your business plan is very important.
Your business plan can also help you in the quest loans either from the government or private institutions like banks. There is no investor that will take you seriously until you have provided a good business plan for your business.
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The Land
After you have your business plan and the required capital to start the grape farming business in Nigeria, the next is land to start the cultivation. For commercial grape farming, the soil should be deep and well drained to avoid water logging. During the land preparation, you can apply organic to improve the fertility and structure of the soil. You can apply manure at the rate of 50kg to 60kg on one hectare.
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Grapes Planting Procedure
In order to get the best yields from your grape farming business in Nigeria, you need to plant between the months of October and March. This period provides the grape with enough exposure to sunlight and warm temperature that the grape vine needs. You need to understand that grapes do not need much rainfall, however in places that the rainfall is bellow 500mm per annum, irrigation will be needed.
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In general, you should not plant grapes in areas with an annual rainfall of more than 900mm. before be planting; you should put up a support for example by using bamboo sticks. The planting holes should be 15cm in depth and 15cm away from the support. You can plant the grape seeds, the cutting or the rootstock of the grape vines in your farm.
After planting, you need to cover the soil with thick mulch of decomposed manure or compost. This helps protect the roots of the grape vine from cold temperatures. The ideal temperature that is suitable for the cultivation of grapes is 150 C to 400 C. Adding of manure and periodic watering of the soil is very good for the proper growth and development of grape vines.
You need to give a space of 2 to 3 meters between vine rows and 1 to 1.5 meters within rows. With this type of spacing arrangement, you can plant up to 5000 grape vines in one hectare of land. In order to improve the quality of the grape berries, you can mix humic acid, sugar with coconut water and spray it on the bud during the developmental phase.
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Pest and Disease Control
You need to know how to prevent and control pest and diseases if you must be successful in your grape farming business in Nigeria. The most common pest that you have to battle with is the red spider mite that thrives in dry conditions. Although the pest is easily controlled in humid conditions, high humidity reduces the quality of the grape berries.
Read: How to start cucumber farming business in Nigeria
Other pests include the thrips, Flea beetles, leaf hoppers, and mealy bugs. You can control these pests by applying the appropriate pesticide. Diseases like mildew and anthracynose infestation affects berries. The aforementioned diseases can be prevented using cow urine, trichoderma, and Bordeaux mixture can be used to tackle these diseases.
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Harvesting your grape berries
There is no specific time to harvest the berries. You can harvest at any time depending on the time you planted your grapes. The yield is hugely dependent on the variety of grape, however you can harvest up to 50kg per hectare. It will interest you to know that the grape vines can keep producing for up to 15 years. After harvest, you need to store the grape berries in boxes especially if they will be transported far from the farmland.
Grape farming business in Nigeria is still not common but the demand for grape and grape products are very high.
ATTENTION…
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