How To Start Okra Farming Business In Nigeria: What You Need

Okra farming business is a lucrative agribusiness investment in Nigeria. If you can truly give this business a try, you won’t regret that you did. One very wonderful thing you need to know about okra farming is that it is very cheap to start and highly profitable. Very rare combinations if you ask me. There are different types of soils that you can start your okra farming business in Nigeria. What matters is that you abide by the guidelines that this article provides you with.

See: The goldmine of pineapple farming in Nigeria

This article provides the right and needed information that you need to succeed in your Okra farming business in Nigeria. Within this article, you will find information regarding the following topics about okra farming:

• The okra yield per acre in Nigeria
• Cost and return analysis of okra production in Nigeria
• Constraints in okra production in Nigeria
• The varieties of okra in Nigeria
• Agronomy of okra in Nigeria, and
• The best okra plant spacing

Making you understand okra farming better through the above-listed topics is the focus of this article. So, you relax and enjoy your reading as it promises to be very important for your success in okra farming.

Okra Market In Nigeria

You should know that the profitability of okra farming is never in doubt due to many reasons. One of the major reasons you should invest your money in okra farming is the ever-present large market. You already know that okra is a very nutritious vegetable used in the preparation of our local soups. There are lots of ways that you can consume okra vegetable in Nigeria.

Now that you see the market appeal of okra to Nigerians, you can invest into this profitable business. Most importantly, you can start your okra farming on a small scale. With proper planning, you become a big player in the okra production in Nigeria.

The Best Way To Begin Your Okra Farming Business In Nigeria

For you to succeed in this in this farming venture, you must be very diligent and disciplined. That okra farming is termed “easy to start” should not make you venture it sheepishly. You must follow the laid down guidelines for your own good in this business. Before starting your okra farming business in Nigeria, there are certain things you must have in place. These things include:

1. Well-Detailed Okra Farming Business Plan

Before you start your okra farming, there should be a good business plan on the task at hand. You can disregard the business plan if all you want is to cultivate for your own personal consumption. If your plan is commercial okra farming business, then a good business plan is inevitable. The advantages of having a business plan are just too many to mention.

Your business plan affords you the opportunity to conduct some very important research regarding your okra farming business. It within the business plan that you have market research, your financial projections, SWOT analysis, etc. All these carried out properly will greatly improve your chances at success in your okra farming business.

Your business plan will also help you to attract investors to your okra farming agribusiness in Nigeria. With your well-detailed business plan, you stand a better chance at accessing government loans for agriculture in Nigeria.

2. Good Site Selection For Your Okra Farming

Once your business plan and capital are ready, your next task is to choose good farmland. You don’t just select a land simply because the land is available. The major criterion you must consider is the water retention capacity of the soil under consideration. Experts say that okra does very poorly in waterlogged soils. Although okra farming can be carried out on different varieties of soil types, you have to make sure that the soil is not waterlogged.

Read: How to make millions from soybeans farming in Nigeria

3. Farmland Preparation For Planting Your Okra

Now that you have chosen farmland, the next step is to prepare that land for the okra farming business. The preparation involves you tilling and plowing the soil. This is done to remove stumps and other things that may hinder the growth of your okra. You can also add manure to the soil at this stage to improve soil fertility. It is recommended that you plant your okra on raised beds as they perform better there.

4. How To Plant Your Okra

You also need to get it right at this stage too in the course of your okra farming venture. The okra plant spacing is critical to having a bountiful harvest at the end of the planting season. You should know that the ideal okra plant spacing is between 1-2 inches apart. Before the day of planting, you should soak the seeds in water for at least a day. This helps to fasten the time of germination of your okra seeds.

Okra farming can be done together with crops like tomatoes, pepper, maize, and beans. Intercropping is very much welcome in okra farming. After the planting, you should water them for at least once a week. This has been known to improve okra yield per acre in Nigeria.

Related: How to start cucumber farming business with little cash in Nigeria

5. Okra Harvesting And Storage

It is important that you know that your okra pods are ready for harvest about 2 months after the planting date. The fresh pods should be harvested for the market. You can also allow the seeds the pods o dry if you intend to harvest the seeds. It is recommended that you harvest the fresh pos when they are about 2-3 inches in length. If you delay here you may end up losing them as they may become inedible.

For harvesting your okra seeds, you wait until the pods are dry and splitting. After your harvest, you only have to twist the dried pods and the seeds will be out. You can store the store the seeds in an air dry container after they have been air dried for a few days.

I believe that you have seen the profitability of okra cultivation in Nigeria and the ease of planting. My question to you is this; what are you waiting for to invest in this business?

ATTENTION…

The importance of a business plan has been greatly emphasized at the beginning of this article for you. At Entrepreneur Nigeria, we offer professional business plan writing services on any business niche of your choice. You can contact us on +2347037281050 and your business plan will be ready just within two weeks of your order. Terms and Conditions apply.

For your contributions and questions regarding okra farming in Nigeria, kindly make use of the comment box provided below. THANKS.

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