Ugu Farming Business In Nigeria: How To Start Earning Good Money
Ugu farming business is yet another great opportunity for you in the agricultural sector of Nigeria. This fluted pumpkin popularly called Ugu is the highest consumed vegetable in Nigeria at the moment. This can only tell you of the market demand and the profitability of ugu farming business in Nigeria. Lots of people in time past were only cultivation this pumpkin leaf ( ugu) on the subsistence level. You should know that a number of Nigerian farmers are currently making millions from commercial ugu farming in Nigeria.
The ugu leaf is mostly used in preparing soups although some individuals extract the liquid to drink for health benefits. You don’t need to be afraid of ugu farming in Nigeria; there is always an already available market. In this article, the focus is to provide you with the needed information about starting your ugu farming in Nigeria. So, just sit back and enjoy your reading as you prepare to earn big from ugu farming business in Nigeria.
The information provided for you in this article will covers areas such as:
- Commercial ugu farming in Nigeria
- The cost analysis of ugu farming
- Ugu sack farming in Nigeria
- The plant spacing for fluted pumpkin
So, you can see that this article has got your back when it comes to ugu farming business in Nigeria.
The Profitability Of Ugu Farming Business In Nigeria
When you understand that vegetables are constantly in high demand due to rate of consumption, ugu production profitability becomes obvious. In Nigeria today, you should know that ugu leaves are the highest consumed vegetable. With the right farming practices, ugu farming business can become your own goldmine. In fact, you can make 100 times your investment in return.
For example, if you spend about N300, 000 on ugu farming on an acre; you can make about N800, 000. This further reiterates the profit potential of ugu farming in Nigeria. Aside from selling ugu leaves, you can also make money from selling the seeds as well. The pods can also give you lots of money. Depending on your location, an ugu seed sells for about N50. You can the imagine getting up to 5000 seeds. This means you will be making N250, 000 from ugu seeds alone. A single ugu pod can give between 40-100 seeds depending on the size of the pod. In fact, I don’t think the profitability of ugu production should be in question, rather your resolve to succeed.
Ugu farming in the dry season, will give you more than 2 times what you will make in the rainy season. This is the reason most ugu farmers prefer the dry season ugu production business in Nigeria. Other reasons why you should consider ugu farming business in Nigeria include:
- You are certain to sell your ugu, irrespective of the season
- Ugu farming is a short-term business venture, meaning you get your returns in the shortest possible time.
- You don’t need to have an outstanding experience to start ugu farming business in Nigeria
- For the fact that you can plant 3 times in one year, your money is assured.
Guidelines To Starting Your Ugu Farming Business In Nigeria
There are certain farming practices that you need to follow to fully maximize the profit potential of ugu farming business. These guidelines include:
-
Well-detailed ugu farming business plan
For you to excel in commercial ugu production in Nigeria, your business plan is certainly indispensable. The business plan will help you with your marketing strategy, SWOT analysis, financial projections, etc. You just think of the business plan as your tour guide when it comes to ugu farming.
Aside from serving as your guide, your business plan also improves your chances of sourcing for a loan. Without a good business plan of your farming business, there is no way you can qualify the government loans. The commercial banks and private investors will not consider you a serious farmer if you can’t provide a business plan.
-
Farmland selection and preparation
For optimal ugu production, you are advised to choose a sandy-loam soil. It is the ideal soil type for ugu farming business in Nigeria. Once you have selected the farmland, the next is to clear it of all bushes and stumps. Then you will till the soil for easy germination of seeds and root penetration. You can also make use of organic manure to enrich the soil for a bumper harvest.
Make sure that the animal dung you are using as the organic manure comes from a healthy farm animal or bird.
-
Get your ugu seeds ready for planting
Before planting your ugu seeds,you need to get them out from the pods first and dry them. The drying should be done under the sun for a day or two. You should not allow the seeds to over dry as it can negatively affect the viability of the seeds. This can adversely affect your ugu farming by reducing the harvest.
The partial drying of the seeds is to protect them from pests that would have eaten them in the soil before germination. You should also know that it also prevents the seeds from decaying in the soil. If the seed has sprouted, you should not dry it because the sun will kill it.
The planting of your ugu seeds should be done in the early hours of the morning or late in the evening. It is recommended that you plant between 2-3 seeds per hole of about 4-5cm deep. You should place the seed straight in the soil with the tip facing downwards. Make sure the hole is properly covered. The seed spacing should be about 500cm-1m apart. You can plant about 10,000 seeds per hectare or 4,000 in one acre of land.
-
Get a good irrigation system for your ugu farming business
Once you are done with the planting process, you need to irrigate the farm every 2 days both morning and evening. During the dry season, you should know that intensive irrigation is required for bountiful harvest. This means that if you are considering dry season ugu farming business, then you need constant water supply.
-
Weed and pest control
It is advised that you weed your ugu farm very early to prevent competition for the nutrients. Manual weeding is advised to avoid harming the already growing ugu leaves. For pest and insect control in your ugu farming business, you should mix fungicides and insecticides in small quantity.
-
Harvesting your ugu
You can start harvesting your ugu once the spines are long enough and the leaves have broadened well enough. This typically happens with 2-3 months after planting. You should make use of a sharp knife to cut the spines or stem a little bit away from the base. If you are interested in the pods, they are ready for harvest once the tendrils are dry. There are also times that they fall off on their own.
ATTENTION…
You can contact us at Entrepreneur Nigeria on +2347037281050 for your business plan on ugu farming or any business niche. Your business plan will be ready with 2 weeks of your order.
For you contributions and questions on ugu farming business, kindly make use of the comment box below. THANKS
Comr Ikennadi Emmanuel Bright
I love the great work you’re doing by encouraging those looking for an alternative means of making life better through Agribusiness, I’m highly interested and inspired to go into commercial vegetables farming my names are Comr Ikennadi Emmanuel Bright wasp num 08139523009 ,
Okaria Odili Frankline
Thank you for those kind words Mr Emmanuel, I’m happy you found the piece helpful.
Mu'aadh
Pls I’m currently ugu and I have been noticing some brown spots on the leaves- some large and some small. I’m thinking its fungi attack. Pls can you suggest me an appropriate fungicide that i can use or any other means to stop its occurence. Thanks
Agricincome
Thanks for sharing
Ugu farming in Nigeria is one of the most profitable leafy vegetable farming, coupled with the fact that it is not region or tribe bias.