CASSAVA EXPORT OPPORTUNITIES IN NIGERIA

HOW TO TAP FROM THE UNAWARE INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES IN CASSAVA EXPORT AND LOCAL EXPLOITATION IN NIGERIA PLUS SURE INTERNATIONAL CLIENTS AND HOW TO ACCESS GRANT FOR CASSAVA FARMING

Years now, Nigeria has maintained its domination as the highest producer of cassava. The root crop (manihot esculentus) grows abundantly on Nigeria soil. It is said, of 36 states in Nigeria 34 states cultivate cassava, and is major staple food for the people

Over 800 million people world-wide depend on cassava as a regular source of energy. Per capital consumption in West Africa is more than 120kg per annum while that of Central Africa Republic is more than 300kg per annum.

Most businessmen and investors don’t understand the untapped investment opportunities, even as Nigeria produces over 10 million tons annually.

Farmers hardly see this crop as avenue to hit hard currency

Tuber cassava retains assortments that make it look Hot cake These include chips, flakes, cubes, peeler, starch and flour, pellets, etc. Many European and American countries, including: Germany, UK, France, the Netherlands among others demands huge quantities of processed cassava products annually. In fact, the use of cassava for mixing live stock feed is now in vogue in Europe, this has gain wide acceptance to an extent of recent release of European Economic Community of import of over 10 million metric tonnes per annum.

Apart from livestock feeds, processed cassava serves as industrial raw material for the production of adhesives bakery products, dextrin, dextrose glucose, lactose and sucrose. Dextrin is used as a binding agent in the paper and packing industry and adhesive in cardboard, plywood and veneer binding.

Food and beverage industries use cassava products derivatives in the production of jelly caramel and chewing gum; pharmaceutical and chemical industries also use cassava alcohol (ethanol) in the production of cosmetics and drugs. The products also find ready use in the manufacture of dry cell, textiles and school chalk etc. Cassava cubes are used mainly in the compounding of livestock feeds. Thus there is a very high demand for cassava products in both the local and export markets.

MASSIVE PROFITS MAKING PROSPECT

Today, while lots of people are lamenting of the bad state of the economy, some are hijacking this opportunity to make wealth for themselves.

In business contact and networking is so important that any entrepreneur who lacks these basic business concept will striving very difficult.

We will allow readers to see the clear picture of how to make awesome ends meet from this awesome money spilling opportunity

WHY YOU SHOULD INVOLVE YOURSELF?

“As describe by IITA with a confirmation from many Newspaper business rapporteurs whilst, research as publish by both local and international journals, Nigeria produces the most improved cassava species that translate to over 80 percent world output. Though greater part of the crop is also consume here.

Cassava End product such as Cassava chips has receive tremendous patronage due to its relatively cheap way of making animal feed especially as it is rich in carbohydrates, which makes animals very healthy and big.

In Asia, Europe and America demands from buyer are high. Recently, China spearheads countries that are willing to invest hugely in cassava Nigeria. Unfortunately, many Nigerians are seeing this mere tales that are not feasible, while graduates are patrolling streets looking for white collar jobs that are scarce and rare.

Though, realistically, the 40% percent mandatory cassava bread, as approved by the Federal Government is yet to be fully effected, but soon, Nigeria bread market will be flooded with bread made with cassava, So, whoever keyed into this now stands a better chance of blooming from cassava in no time

Nigerians became fond of foreign currencies like dollar and pound sterling after the devaluation of the Naira when its value plummeted considerably and these

Currencies appreciated enormously. Many traveled to foreign Countries like Britain and USA to work in pursuit of these currencies while others resorted to export of local items without adequate knowledge and preparations.

Cassava was popularized by the last administration when it announced that we can be earning about $5 billion annually from its export.  Most people rushed into it without any preparation and fore knowledge of the business and the industry.

What is Export?

Export is the sales of goods across national boundaries.  Export business is sophisticated and requires matures and enlightened minds that can understand and interpret the intricacies of modern international economics, politics and their implications.  Anybody can buy and sell but anybody cannot export.  A potential exporter must be informed, knowledgeable and experienced.  He must have an impeccable knowledge of the product he wants to export and should be able to expertly articulate their qualities and characteristics.  He should be familiar with their applications, technical qualities and restrictions.  Thorough knowledge of a product enhances the integrity of the exporter, strengthens the confidence of the buyer and also makes the sellers claims more authentic.

Advantages of Export

The advantages are numerous:  it enables one to earn diversified income through a mixed grill of currencies.  It brings the world to your door steps by providing opportunities to interact with different nationalities and cultures.  It breaks down communication barriers and creates impetus for better global understanding.  It provides goods and services and opportunities that mere not conceived of.  Export takes advantages of the opportunities created by currency devaluation.  It creates dynamic incentives for higher productivity, industrialization, research, innovation, competition, economic growth and modernization.  Through export a nation exposes her products and people to global competition and that enables her to know where she ranks with others.  A nation that does not encourage competition among its citizens can never compete with the rest of the world.

Cassava Export and Import

There are three main cassava products that are generally exported and they are:  Cassava chips, Cassava pellets and Cassava tapioca or starch and flour.  Chips are pellets mostly imported by EU countries for animal feeds while China imports chips and starch for production of ethanol.  EU importer prefers pellets over chips because over 50 percent of the chips get broken by the time they get to their destinations.

The major exporters of cassava products are:  Thailand, Indonesia and Vietnam.  They export chips, pellets, starch and flour.  Thailand in the largest exporter, accounting for about 94 percent of the world total export of cassava products.

The major importers are EU nations, China, Japan, South Korea and the United States.  The EU imported about 6.9million tones in 2000.

Pellets and chips currently dominate the World Trade in cassava products.  This trend may change in future due to the potential uses of cassava.  For instance, the inclusion of ethanol in petrol and the high cost of crude oil may divert more cassava products to ethanol production. America is considering dropping corn in their ethanol production due to food security. If they accept cassava, starch may take preeminence.

Nigeria currently has very large domestic market for cassava because of the demand of composite flour. When we satisfy the demand for 10% and 20% composite flour, we may begin to pay more attention to external market. If however, we can increase our local production of raw cassava to 100,000 metric tons per annum, we can then accommodate the demands of both domestic and external markets.

Only very few Nigerians for now have penetrated the lucrative market and reaping cool big profits without stress. Cassava export business secret had been covered up and seriously guided for some years but now we the present Nigerian revolutionary wealth builders have decided to uncover the secrets and release them without reservation to fellow aspiring Nigerians who so desire and keen in operating the wealth building secrets.

BROILER SUPER PRE-STARTER FORMULATION

Formulating a commercial super pre-starter does not have to be a secret; here we talk about it with real commercial experiences.

We have already discussed the reasons and benefits from using a super pre-starter broiler formula during the first seven days post-hatch. We have also deliberated about ingredients that make such formulas so special, giving them that extra boost young chicks require early in life. But, placing all these together remains top-secret among nutritionists, most likely because this technology is so brand new. It does not have to be so, and here we will talk about these formulas, giving a real-life example.

Real-case formulas

The formulas presented in Table 1 are generic ones based on real-case scenarios from customers raising broilers on large scale in Europe and elsewhere. The conventional formula, a typical pre-starter fed for seven days post-hatch, is indeed a heavily fortified diet. It is not as high on energy, as some nutritionists might suggest, but it is sufficient in amino acids, and all other vital nutrients.

Table 1 shows two actual formulas used under European commercial conditions to test the efficacy of a super pre-starter broiler feed over a conventional one.
In this particular formulation, we have used a typical antibiotic plus anti-coccidial approach, and, as such, it is not ready for a program devoid of these compounds. The new formula, the super pre-starter, is formulated to similar nutrient levels with the only difference being the use of highly digestible protein sources (animal plasma and soy protein concentrate). Animal plasma promotes gut health and feed intake, whereas soy protein concentrate is a dense source of highly digestible amino acids. Other specialty ingredients may be added, all proteins at the expense of soybean meal, but there is a cost limit. The last diet is one that uses no in-feed growth-promoting additives. Instead, it depends on enzymes, organic acids and phytogenic compounds to replace antibiotics; but still a coccidial preparation is used. Please note that these formulas are generic examples, as each specific farm will require customization to suit genetics, health status, facilities, ingredients and targets. They are presented here for discussion purposes only.

Field performance that pays for the extra cost

When such formulas are used under commercial conditions, results can be satisfactory to exceptional — in any case, more than enough to pay for the extra cost. I will bring to your attention results obtained by a commercial integrator in Europe. There, a customized form of the conventional and super pre-starter diets presented in Table 1 were fed followed with typical starter and grower diets until slaughter. As can be seen in Table 2, after two batches of broilers were tested, the conventional diet did a very good job. The performance is comparable to many modern farms using similar genetics and nutrition programs. But, as expected, the super pre-starter gave birds an early advantage that lasted until market age. Broilers fed the super pre-starter for the first seven days post-hatch were (on average, for two batches):

• 60 grams heavier at market age
• More efficient in converting feed to meat by eight points
• Less costly to feed despite the extra cost of the super pre-starter
• More efficient in using available surface
• More profitable by 7 euro cents per bird

Table 2 shows the results from feeding a super pre-starter broiler formula versus a conventional one for the first seven days post-hatch in a European commercial facility.
It might look surprising that such small changes in feed formulation for such a small period of time can have such an impact throughout the commercial life of a broiler, but those who deal with young animal nutrition can attest to this phenomenon: an investment in early nutrition pays good dividends at the end. This is true not only for broilers, but also for piglets and calves.

Further improvements to formulas

Ideally, the super pre-starter formula would contain even less soybean meal and more of purified proteins, such as soy protein concentrate or wheat gluten, for example. The exact amount for wheat gluten can range from 2 percent (Europe and the U.S., where it is more expensive) up to 10 percent (Asia, where it is relatively inexpensive). Again, this is an area where each formulator will have to find the balance between cost and benefit. Perhaps, some fishmeal could further improve this formula, but this remains to be seen.

An investment in early nutrition pays good dividends at the end.

Also, I would have liked to see total crude protein reduced to avoid the problems of excess dietary protein that "robs" broilers of performance potential, but this is my personal preference. This recommendation is even more pertinent when traditional growth promoters (antibiotics) and anti-coccidials are excluded. In such case, it is almost imperative to keep crude protein as low as possible and organic matter digestibility as high as possible to avoid overloading the hindgut with all kinds of nutrients that can be used by pathogens to cause digestive upsets.

Pushing to the extreme

Naturally, when a little bit of good is desirable, a lot more cannot harm, right? Perhaps, adding such specialty ingredients in grower and, why not, finisher broiler diets, can confer even further improvements in performance and profitability. This is not an unreasonable assumption by those who first encounter the benefits of early nutrition. Experiences from other species have shown that the return on investment diminishes very rapidly, and, as such, it is best to place the "weight" early on. It might be so that having a super pre-starter even more fortified and expensive than the one presented here be sufficient for only four days post-hatch, but again, we have lots of research ahead of us. Of course, this position is not applicable for ingredients that replace antibiotics. In any case, this is an exciting new frontier for nutritionists who specialize in early nutrition.

SNAIL FARMING FOR BEGINNERS AND PRACTISING FARMERS

Snail farming is the rearing of snails in an enclosure or captivity, where the basic needs of the snails, such as feed, lime , water etc.  are provided therein for them on daily basis by the farmer. These snails are reared and harvested for profit
making.

Systems of Snail farming
There are two main systems of raising snails, which is the;
· Indoor system.
· Outdoor system.

In indoor system, the snails are raised in pens or housing located in a building. The snails are fed with mixture of feeds ranging from fresh vegetables, concentrates, tubers and other feed stuffs. The system requires little space.

In outdoor system, the snails are reared on pasture field, where feeding is not regular and the farmer has little attention for the snails. The snails move around the
pasture sourcing for food and water to sustain their life.
However, the outdoor system can also be an avenue whereby the snails are left on the pasture also supplementary feeds in form of natural diet and synthetic feeds are provided for the snail and they can be managed well.

Also other systems are;
1. Extensive system: outdoor, free-range snail pens.
2. Mixed, or semi-intensive system: egg laying and hatching occur in a controlled environment; the young snails are then removed after 6-8 weeks to outside pens
for growing or fattening or both.
3. Intensive system: closed systems, for example plastic tunnel houses, greenhouses and buildings with controlled climate. (Note: the same options of extensive, semi-intensive, or intensive apply to feed and feeding).

Selection of site
Snail farming like other facets of farming has its own requirements and factors to be considered before venturing into the business. These factors are;

 

Soil type: The snail farm must be sited at a place where the soil is rich in humus and decayed plant and animal materials. Also the soil must be rich in lime and calcium (though these two minerals can the provided) for shell formation. The soil must be well drained and less compacted to enable the snails dig the ground and well aerated to allow air penetrate into the soil easily. Snails prefer a damp soil but not very wet land or land prone to flooding. These enable the snails to move easily and dig into the ground to rest and lay their eggs.

 

Water or moisture: The breeding season of snails is usually in rainy or cold season. However for commercial purpose, a source of water has to be provided for
irrigation and spraying, to keep the farm damp always. Snails usually seal off their aperture and go into hibernation during dry season.

Moisture can also be conserved by planting shelter plants like banana, cocoa.
Water should be made available on the farm to enhance the multiplication of the snails.

 

Temperature and humidity: Snails are cold blooded animal, which makes them sensitive to change in temperature and humidity. Snails prefer a place where the temperature is neither too cold or nor cold. When the temperature is too cold or too hot, the snails withdraw into their shell, this phenomenon is known as HIBERNATION.
Snails thrive best on temperature ranging between 10- 23oc
Construction of a snailery Regardless of the size and type of your snail farm, the housing system must meet the following conditions. It must be:

 

1. escape-proof: snails are master-escapists and unless
prevented from doing so they will quickly wander all over
your (or your neighbors’) garden or house;

2. spacious, in accordance with the growing stage of the snails (hatchlings, juveniles, breeding snails, or mature snails fattened for consumption). Snails suffer from overcrowding, which impedes their development and increases the risk of diseases. Suitable rearing densities range from 100/m2 for hatchlings to 7-10/m2 for breeding snails;

3. easily accessible and easy to work in or with, for handling the snails, placing feed, cleaning and other tasks;

4. well-protected from insects, predators and poachers. Different materials can be used for building snaileries , depending on price and availability.

 

The materials you will need are:
1. Decay- and termite-resistant timber, cement blocks, or mud bricks.
2. Galvanized sheets or polythene sheets.
3. Chicken wire, for protection.
4. Mosquito nets or nylon mesh, for covering the pens as protection against insects.
5. Second-hand materials, like car tires, oil drums and old water tanks.

In addition to car tires, oil drums and such materials, the following types of pens might be considered for simple snaileries:
• Hutch boxes/cages
• Trench pens
• Mini-paddock pens
• Free-range pens

 

Car tires, oil drums
Discarded tires or oil drums may serve as relatively cheap snail pens. Three or four tires are placed on top of each other, with chicken wire and mosquito mesh between the topmost tire and the second one from the top.

Oil drums should have some holes in the bottom for drainage, be filled with good soil to a depth of 7-10 cm, and be fitted with wire plus mosquito mesh on top. Such pens are suitable for keeping a few snails (up to about four mature snails in each container) close to the house, for private use.

 

 

 

Hutch boxes Description
Hutch boxes are square or rectangular, single or multi- chamber wooden boxes with lids, placed on wooden stilts above the ground at a suitable height for easy
handling. The stilts should be fitted with plastic or metal conical protectors or aprons, to prevent vermin from crawling or climbing up the stilts to attack the snails in the boxes. The protectors could be made from old tins or plastic bottles. In the middle of the lid is an opening covered with wire netting and nylon mesh. The lid should be fitted with a padlock to discourage pilfering. In the floor of the box are a few holes through which excess
water can drain out. The boxes are filled with sieved black soil to a depth of 18-25 cm. The box(es) should obviously be well protected from scorching sun or torrential rain.

Hutch boxes are useful in a semi-intensive snail breeding system. They are very suitable as hatchery and nursery pens because eggs and young snails can be easily located and observed.

 

Trench pens Description
Trench pens are adjoining snail pens of 0.6 × 0.6 m to 1 × 1 m, either dug into the ground (which must be very well- drained), or raised 40-50 cm above the ground. Outside walls and inner partitions consist of sandcrete blocks or mud bricks in either case. The pens are filled with
suitable soil to a depth of 10-15 cm. They are covered with wooden or steel frame lids with chicken wire plus nylon mesh, and fitted with padlocks to discourage
poachers. Obviously the pens must be protected against the fierce heat of the sun or heavy rain. Shredded semi-dry banana leaves may be spread in the pens to provide shelter for the snails.

Two types of trench pens are; dug in trench pen, raised trench pen

Trench pens are suitable in semi-intensive to intensive snail growing ventures. They can be used as hatchery, nursery or fattening pens, with the number of stock being adapted to the size of the snails in each case. The snails can be moved from one pen to another according to the growing cycle.

 

 

Mini-paddock pens Description

Mini-paddock pens are small square or rectangular pens, usually within a larger fenced area. They are built of bamboo and nylon mesh, or of timber, chicken wire and nylon mesh.
The walls should be some 50 cm high and be dug at least 20 cm into the ground. Wooden frames are attached to the top of the walls (extended inwards) and covered with the mesh, to prevent snails from escaping.

Plants providing shelter and/or food are planted in the pens before snails are released into them. Suitable plants include cocoyam, sweet potato, fluted pumpkin, and leafy vegetables. Rectangular pens allow the farmer easier access to the whole area without having to enter the pens. Mini-paddock pens may also be constructed higher above ground, with a completely enclosed frame, and may even be roofed. Application and use mini-paddock pens, like free-range pens are suitable as fattening pens, where snails that are no longer needed for breeding are allowed to put on weight before being collected for consumption or sale. Additional snail food may be placed in the pen, but uneaten food must be removed regularly. Food and shelter plants must be replanted from time to time.

 

Free-range pens Description
Essentially, free-range pens are large mini-paddock pens: a fenced area of up to 10 × 20 m, planted with plants, shrubs and trees that provide food and shelter from wind, sun and rain. Just like in a mini-paddock pen, the vertical fence must be extended inwards, to prevent snails from escaping. If the fence is constructed of fine chicken wire mesh, the overhang is not obligatory because snails dislike crawling on wire mesh.
The fence must be dug at least 20 cm into the ground. The free-range pen might even be completely enclosed and roofed.

 

 

Selecting choice of breeding stock
It is recommended to use sexually mature snails, weighing at least 100-125 g, as initial breeding stock.
Farming should preferably start at the onset of the wet season, because that is the time snails normally start to breed. Until snail farms become self-sustaining, farmers may have to collect snails from the wild or buy them cheaply in the peak season and fatten them in captivity in the off season. In relatively undisturbed forest areas, snails can be collected on days following rains. Snails are active at night and on cloudy or foggy mornings. During the day they tend to keep well hidden, so it is best to collect them at night or early in the morning, when the sun is low and the humidity high.

 

Farmers purchasing breeding stock from snail gatherers or from the market should expect a fairly high level of mortality as a result of poor handling and the adjustment to different foods.

The most reliable way of obtaining parental stock is from known breeders, or from agricultural institutes. Such parent snails might be more expensive than snails from other sources, but they are better and safer because they have been properly fed and managed from hatching, and have not been damaged during collection and subsequent handling. Once the snail farm is established, farmers should select breeding stock from their own snails.

 

 Breeding stock must be selected in the wet season preceding aestivation, based on the following
attributes:

Fecundity (expected number of eggs, based on numbers laid in previous seasons)

Hatchability (percentage of eggs likely to hatch out of the total number laid) .

Establishment rate (percentage of snails likely to survive after hatching)

Growth rate Shell strength

Simple records kept by snail farmers can provide the necessary information. As a general rule, the fastest growers with the strongest shells should be selected as breeding stock. The stronger its shell, the better the snail is protected against predators.

Never rear a mixture of small and large snail types in the same enclosure. Their requirements and maturity periods are not the same.

 

Types of snail to rear
Only snails that live on land and are edible should be selected for farming. Some kinds of land snails harbor parasites which can cause diseases to man. The common snails that can be reared are Archachatina marginata and Achinata achatina.

 

Archachatina marginata: these snails are found in places where it is warm all the year, their shell are characterized by brown to pale brown colour  with vertical streaks and ziz-zag lines. They weigh from 150-200gm or more at maturity. They grow to full size in 24 months if well fed and watered. They lay about 5-10 eggs four to eight times each growing season. The breeding season is from may to October (during rainy season). However, if provided with regular supply of water, food and lime, they can grow and reproduce throughout the year.

 

Achinata achatina: like the Archachatina marginata, they are native of west Africa. They have strong brown shells and grow to full size in two years under good management conditions. They lay from 100-300 eggs, once to two times each growing season. They have pointed tails with whitish to grey foot.
Stocking of snails into the pen With all the basic requirements in place, the snails can
now be introduced into the pen. Snails selected for the farm should be very gently handled and carefully put into a container such as basket. In this way, they can be carried to the pen without hurting them. Before putting into the pen, all grasses and weeds should be eliminated.

 

The snails should be put inside the pen in the evening when it is cool. They should not be introduced into the pen when the sun is hot. However , on days when there is no dew and the leaves of the plants and ground are wet, wet them before putting the snail in. Do not stock more than 15-25 matured snails per m2. There should be no over stocking. After introduction of snails, a check should be conducted the following morning to see that they have all moved. Any snail found to be dead should be removed and replaced with another one. At first the newly introduced snails will try to crawl out of the pen.

The farmer should go round in the morning to put them back but after two weeks they will used to their new home and most of them will not try to crawl out.

 

Feeding of snails
Snails are vegetarian and will accept many types of food. All snails will avoid plants that have hairy leaves or produce toxic chemicals, like physic nut (Jathropacurcas). Young snails prefer tender leaves and shoots; they consume about twice as much feed as mature snails. As they get older, mature snails increasingly feed on detritus: fallen leaves, rotten fruit and humus should be introduced gradually.

What snails need Snails need carbohydrates for energy, and protein for growth. In addition they require calcium (Ca) for their shells, as well as other minerals and vitamins. Snail meat is low in crude fiber and fat; for that reason, these components are of minor importance in snail feed.

 

Recommended food items
Leaves: cocoyam, kola, paw paw, cassava, okra, eggplant, loofa, centrosema, cabbage and lettuce. Paw paw leaves (as well as its fruit and fruit peels) stand out
in many trials as good snail food.

Fruits: paw paw, mango, banana, eggplant, pear, oil palm, fig, tomato and cucumber. Fruits are usually rich in minerals and vitamins, but low in protein.
Tubers: cocoyam, cassava, yam, sweet potato and plantain. Tubers are a good source of carbohydrates, though low in protein.

 

Household waste: peels of fruit and tuber, like banana, plantain, pineapple, yam especially paw paw, and leftovers like cooked rice, beans, fufu and eko. Caution:
household waste must not contain salt!

 

Recommendations on natural feed

Market waste: because snails are vegetarians, the cheapest way to feed them is by collecting rejected food from marketplaces. At the end of any market day, some perishable vegetables and fruits still useful for snail consumption can be collected from the dumping areas.
This would reduce the cost and labour of buying or cultivating vegetables and fruits only to feed snails.
Caution: you should not collect vegetables and fruits that are decaying.

Snails can feed on a large range of food items but feed containing waxy or hairy leaves should be avoided.
Providing the forest snail with a mixture of foods, rather than only one or two items, will enhance its growth. Food attractiveness is important in the nutrition of this species. If the food is appetizing (e.g. paw paw) the snails will eat a lot and grow quickly. If food is unattractive, however nutritious it may be, the snails will not eat much of it.
Paw paw leaves, fruit and peels are a good source of crude protein. For strong growth and good shell development, powdered calcium sources from egg shells, limestone, wood-ash, oyster shells (crushed), or bone meal, should be added to the feed at a level of about 15 to 20% of diet dry matter. Crushed oyster shell calcium is best.

Snails need water! Most is supplied by the food they consume, but additional water must be supplied in the growing pens: a water soaked sponge or a dot of cotton wool for hatchlings and juveniles, in shallow dishes (otherwise the snails may drown) for mature and breeding snails.

Supplementary vitamins: Other food plants known to contain moderate amounts of vitamins D, E and K should be added. Examples are sunflower and copra cake (vitamin D), wheat germ, lettuce and other vegetables (vitamin E), cabbage and African spinach (vitamin K).
Supplementary calcium: If the soil is not high in calcium, supplementary calcium will be needed. This can be provided by sprinkling powdered oyster or snail shells or ground limestone onto leafy vegetables.
Supplementary minerals: Other minerals can be provided by placing licking stones containing the mineral in the pen.

Feeding habit of snails: Snails are nocturnal in nature and feed on a wide variety of feed mainly at night, early morning, evening or on cold rainy days.

 

Causes of mortality in snails
Snails have many enemies, these include termites, soldier ants, frog, toads, rats, snail eating birds, lizards and larvae of some beetles. Common salt is also poisonous to snails.

 Overcrowding is a serious cause of mortality in snail pen. When snails are overcrowded in a pen, they produce an undesirable secretion which is observed to reduce their productivity. To prevent these, the following should be done;· Examine the pen fence regularly and mend any openings.
· Use materials the keep out pests from the fence.
· Maintain the right stocking density.
· Keep away poisonous chemicals like common salt.

 

 

Harvesting of snails
Generally, snails that are well fed and managed would be ready for harvesting within 12-24 months from the date Of stocking. Also when the farmer sees a lot of baby snails in the snail pen, he could harvest the fully grown snails in the pen. Average weight of a well matured snail
is 200grams.

Harvesting is best done with the manually by hand.

OSTRICH FARMING: MAKING PROGRESS WITHOUT TEARS

Ostrich belongs to the family of giant birds known as Struthio camelus; Ostrich is a wild bird that modern science has succeeded in domesticating. The Ostrich is the largest ever-living bird. Although flightless, the bird is able to take 3.5m (12-feet) strides and to run at a sustained speed of 50 km/h (30mph) for 15 minutes or more in short distance run, it may reach 70km/h (43mph) especially, when escaping from predators. The head is small, with large eyes and a short, flat bill. Its body is covered with large, soft, loosely structured feathers that easily get wet during the rain.
Ostriches are the only living birds that eliminate their urine separately from their faeces unlike other birds. Ostrich live in mostly desert, open country, where they feed on succulent plants like the xerophytes in the desert, fruits, grasses, and leaves as well as insects, frogs, rat, lizards, birds and mice. The most common mating pattern is one male and three females in a family unit, though this may change as result of some other factors.

THE BUSINESS
An investor who really wants to go into this business will need at least half plot of land. The land should be fenced only to prevent the birds from moving away on their own from the farm. The fencing can be made with blocks or preferably thick wire gauze as this allows tourist to see animals, which is the main attraction. The roof should be left open, as the bird cannot fly. It is also important that some tree shrubs are left in the farm, which could serve as sheds to the birds during hot weather.

FEED
Mostly, Ostrich feeds on leaves, fruits, grains, small animals (rat, etc) and tubers like cassava, cocoyam, potatoes, yam and enough water. Today, we have very good feed-mix that can be formulated from feed mill centers to boost fast growth. Concerning mortality rate, as the largest bird in the world, Ostrich has the strongest body immunity to diseases more than any other bird in existence. They are given no steroid, hormones, chemicals or vaccines.
After about 18-months, the laying of eggs start for domesticated birds, fertilization of egg is internal. A bird well cared for can lay up to 60-eggs in a year, and each egg is as big as children football.

BENEFIT OF OSTRICH FARMING
Although many people are unaware, Ostriches produce more meat than cattle and contains the least fat and calories of all meats (beef, chicken, pork, lamb, goat and turkey). Because they are not as common as other meats, Ostrich produce fetches a very high price. They can be slaughtered between 8-18months. In a world that is more than likely to switch to low-calorie and healthier meats in the near future, Ostrich farmers are positioning themselves to cash in on the huge opportunity. Ostrich farming is a big vision for a big bird that brings in big profit.

MARKET POTENTIALS
 From selling the eggs an investor has started making money. Each fertile egg is sold for between N30,000 to N40,000. Then if the egg is hatched, (which is 42 to 45 days) the young bird is sold for about N80,000. Then if the bird is about 6-months old it sales for between N180,000 to N200,000. Ostrich are probably the least farmed birds in the world. This is quite shocking given the amazing features of the Ostrich that makes it such a lucrative agricultural venture. Apart from the meat, which is high in protein. It is excellent for hypertensive cases and for those watching weight.
The feathers are bought for decoration, while the skin is highly priced for ostentatious leather works. Apart from the above needs, Ostrich is an animal of unique feature and this makes the animal tradable for tourist uses. Various zoos, holiday resorts, big Hotels, Children amusement parks across the world demand ostrich for tourist needs.
If the idea of Ostrich farming appeals to you, there is no better time to get started. A bit of hard work, a little farmer’s ingenuity, and you will be ready to start producing delicious meat and making big money.

Since we’re all concerned about food security, wealth and employment creation, I am amazed so little is known by the public about the profitability of ostrich farming business approaches to income generation and eco-system preservation. Add to the fact that production of ostrich is profitable. And my wonder continues….

GRASSCUTTER FARMING IN NIGERIA: A BEGINNERS' GUIDE

Grasscutter farming is gaining popularity in Africa for good reasons. Greater Cane Rat popularly known as Grasscutter belongs to the rodent family and is very closely related to the porcupine, almost look alike except that porcupine is bigger. The spiny fur on the back and rounded nose distinguish Grasscutter from true rats. It reaches a length of about 720 mm when fully matured. Grasscutter farming can make you at least N3million per year if you take it serious.
So, how do you start Grasscutter farming in Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, South Africa or any part of west Africa where this animal is most fond of? This article will address that.
Grasscutter is one of the animal that is extremely suitable for commercial rearing. If you are in the village and still complaining about money, you need to be brought out to the village square and be given 24 strokes of cane on a hot afternoon. Why? Because you’ve been allowing opportunities to pass you by all these years!

After reading this article, you need between 6 – 12 months to make at least one million naira in this business. If not, then something is wrong with you somewhere. So, let’s get down to business and see how Grasscutter farming works
Grasscutter farming is highly profitable, more profitable than you imagined. The meat is widely consumed allover the West Africa region and beyond, making it one of the top 10 animals whose meat is in highest demand in the market. A market ready Grasscutter is sold between N4,000 to N5,500. Five hundred Grasscuters in a year could earn you between N2 Million to N2.75 Million.
The animal reproduces very quickly and in good numbers. A fully grown female Grasscutter after gestation, carries the pregnancy for 140 – 150 days and deliver about twice a year. Each pregnancy produces average of four to seven young ones. Sometimes up to ten, that means one female Grasscutter could produce 8 – 20 other Grasscutters in a year
It grows big and very fast too. Grasscutter is one of the biggest rodent in Africa. A fully mature female or male that is ready for market weighs between 3.5kg for the female and 4.5kg for the male. While measuring 45cm to 60cm in body length. The standing height is between 25 to 30cm. The body size of a fully grown male is about the size of a nine inches block.

A good number of Grasscutter is consumed yearly but most of them still comes from the wild through hunters who goes into the bush to hunt for them but usually not easy to catch, making the animal meat very scarce in the market.

Getting Started In Grasscutter Farming

Colony – Grasscutter lives in colony, two mature male doesn’t live together. Therefore, start with a male and few females together. A colony should consists of one male and three to four females. Your capacity determine how many colony you wants to start with. A small farmer may start with one or two colony, with the arrangement of one male and 3 females in each colony.
Breeding – Grasscutter is kept 100% for the meat, it has to grow well and healthy in other to be profitable. To achieve this, a new farmer must lay emphasis on the choice of breeding stock. Each colony must have a very health male. The male is the engine of reproduction, a healthy male makes a healthy stock. While selecting the male, pay attention on the well being, good weight gain in male animals is a very important factors that determine how healthy it is.
In any case, both the male and female stock you are selecting for breeding purpose must be healthy. While a healthy, strong, agile male animal should be selected for breeding programs, if the female is not genetically healthy too, it will also affect the breeding stocks. To ensure that you achieve the best possible result, both has to be healthy.
Grasscutter Pen – Grasscutter don’t like sleeping where they eat! If you are providing them house you must put this factor into consideration – either cage or house, you must provide steeping place and dinning and playing place.
They can be breed either in a properly build cages or in a house specially designed for them. Grasscutter is sensitive to good habitat, for a colony (1 male and 3 females) the dimension of the cage should be 180cm in length, 60cm in width and 45cm in height. Build your cage that way, separate for each colony.

Grasscutter Cage Picture

If you are using walled pen or house, make sure you build it in such way that the place they eat must be separate from where they sleep. Also the production building must be designed to protect the animals from excess temperature and humidity.

The biggest enemies for Grasscutter are Snakes and Soldier Ants.Make sure their house are built is a safe place and you must also be wary of human thieves. To protect them from the invasion of soldier ants, you may pour black engine oil around their houses, especially at night during raining season mostly.
The floor should be overlay with dry soft grasses to protect their feet from being hurt and to provide them soft cushy play ground condition.

Feeding The Grasscutters

Grasscutter is a herbivorous animals meaning their source of food is basically from the bush, that’s why they are more comfortable in the bush where their foods could easily be found. Their major food is Elephant or Napier grass. They also love Sugar cane and most farmers use sugar cane mainly for their feeding, Guinea grass, Gamba grass, Congo grass.
According to experience farmers, Hygiene and good feeding are the most important factors for successful, profitably Grasscutter farming. You can also fatten the male with broiler’s finisher or broiler starter’s feed to help attain market weight within short period of time.

The animal also like Gliricidia sepium, herbaceous legumes like Stylo (Stylosanthes gracilis) and Pueraria phaseoloides. The root and pitch of oil and coconut palms, bark of the anacardium and fruits such as half ripen pawpaw, plantain, pineapple, mango etc are their delight. Food crops such as groundnut, rice, maize, grain legume, tubers like cassava, sweet potato etc also make part of their food, stressed the grasscutter farmer.
The farmer also stated that grasscutter feed on palm wine and that is why they destroy oil palm plantation. They take their water mostly from the field and go to the river during the dry season only. But when domesticated, you can give them water by adding some attractant to it. Cane rate it should be noted does not dig a hole and cannot climb a tree either, he further stressed.
They can also be fed with formulated concentrates like pellet as well as other processing by-products like wheat bran, corn bran, groundnut, soya, oilseed, cotton seed cakes, brewer yeast, grain legume pods, brewers’ grains, maize shucks and cobs, brewer’s yeast etc as feed supplements.
Grasscutter don’t like cold environment.  The rooms or cages where you keep them must neither be too cold nor too hot. Environment that is suitable for human is considered suitable for Grasscutters.
Weaning time – With good, adequate feeding, the grasscutter kids can be weaned between four to eight weeks. But as a family, they can be with the mother for four months. The kids can be separated from the mother between five to seven months and place with a male to mate with them.
The weaned animals can be mated at the age of between seven to eight months from birth. Indefinite mating is expected to have taken place when the weaned male Grasscutter is seven months old and the female is eight months. The indefinite mating period is 140days. But if after 160 days of separation from the male, there is still no sign of pregnancy , then it should be taken back to the male for proper mating. Usually there should also be an extra male that can serve the same purpose.

The Market For Grasscutter

The market like I stated earlier is very big. Grasscutter meat or Bush meat is probably the most desirable animal meet in the market. Everyone loves it and it sells very fast. Big restaurants uses it to prepare high priced delicacies. Full meat of a mature Grasscutter goes for N4,500 in the market and the market women who trade on it are always in demand of it.

Most people in the city couldn’t buy the meat because it’s very scarce, so no amount of Grasscutter you produced that can’t be sold within days. It will take combined efforts of thousands of farmers to fill the need for bush meat in the market in Africa right now.
Grasscutter is a fast reproducing animal and starts mating with 7 months after birth. It gives birth twice yearly and produce 4-7 at a time. That means, if you have 100 females that gives birth twice in a year, you would be having 900 to 1,500 in your farm within just a year! Such number will bring you nothing less than N5 Million when they are matured for marketing.

 

You can make over 1 million naira this season storing and reselling red palm oil and I am going to show you exactly how to do it. It’s not difficult at all; in fact it is one of the easiest business you can do in Nigeria and make quick money within four months. I happen to know places in Nigeria where you can get this product at cheap prices and place where you can sell it at good price, I am going to make everything clear to you on this post…
What is Red Palm Oil? Red palm oil is natural oil extract from palm three fruit. You and I knows the importance of red palm oil in Nigeria. No home that doesn’t cook with it and no tribe or religion that forbids it. It is generally accepted and widely used, not only in Nigeria but around the world.
Using palm oil for cooking has greater health benefits over the vegetable oil as it is said to have high concentration of vitamin E in the finest proportion. Your body tends to get better health benefits as a result of the vitamin E present in the red palm oil rather than taking a commercial vitamin E capsule. It is also rich in carotene and possess strong healing power.

Why Trade On Red Palm Oil

Red Palm Oil

Palm oil is one of the commodity constantly in high demand in Nigeria. There is never a time it wouldn’t be a hot cake in the market and it is consumed at the same rate as rice and garri. Palm oil is currently sold in Lagos and other major cities across the country at N6,000 for 25liters but if you go to the farm areas where it is produced in quantity, you can get the same 25liters at N4,000.

There are even a time of the year you may get this product at N2,500 – N3,000 per 25litres. If you can get it in quantity during the time of surplus and store it for some months, you will sell at 100% profit. It is usually surplus around December to April and sells at the highest around July to September.
If you invest N500,000 and wait for 4 months, you will be making profit of another N500,000 without any substantial effort. That is a good deal by all standard and the more money you invest, the more profit you make.
If you decides to trade all season, that will even be better. All you need to do is to find out where it’s being processed in much quantity and buy at cheap price from there, transport it to the city and sell at good price, repeat your journey as often as you can and make money all year round.

How To Trade On Palm Oil Commodity

1. Secure a Shop – You will need a shop or any safe place for storage. If you have your own house, that will be nice, just dedicate one room for the storage. However, it will be better if you can rent a shop specifically for it preferably near the market.

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Gallons Red Palm Oil Ready For Market

2. Look for Places to Buy – There are many places you can get palm oil very cheap and in great quantity in Nigeria. It is available in bulk in various parts of Ondo State.It is also available in Edo State but the king of original, high quality palm oil is Ebonyi State.Travel round the states and source from the various local markets and local palm oil processors.
Transport Your Goods – If you have your own truck or van, that will be fantastic but if not, you’d have to make do with hiring. Buy everything you want to buy, get a truck to transport it to your base and store it in your shop.

Sell Your Goods – Wait until the price goes up then you open your shop and sell at a  very good price. It is a perfect way to invest money instead of keeping it to the bank with peanut paid as interest on fix deposit. It is like buying property and reselling at higher prices later.
If you need additional information on this, drop me a comment below and I will attend to it promptly.
If you know any other places where this item could be gotten cheap and in great quantity, tell us using the comment box below.

Smoked catfish business is an opportunity waiting to be tapped. How to start dried and smoked catfish business in Nigeria. Venturing into dried and smoked catfish business is indeed a big business with unimaginable potentials as those doing it are making serious money from it already.
Apart from having fish ponds which many has discovered to be like having an automatic ATM at their backyards, dealing on dried fish or smoked and packaged fish has become a serious income generator for those doing it in the right way. You can sell to the open market or supply to the supermarkets and stores.

With smoked cat catfish business opportunity in Nigeria, some office workers who got exposed to the income potentials of the business are busy today packaging numerous orders for their teaming customers both home and abroad. Yes! You can as well export it oversea and make quick dollars currency.
Starting smoked catfish business is very simple and even simpler than operating a fish pond which comes with additional stresses of making ponds, getting fingerlings, rearing and feeding them to market size which takes at least three months before selling them out to others in the market.
Dealing on dried and smoked catfish is a business with wider appeal. Put simply, all that is required for the business is: buying, processing, smoke drying it, packaging it in a branded polythene bag and having them out to the public.

Starting A Smoked Catfish Business Requires The Following

1. Get a smoke/drying machine from a good welder. The prices are usually dependent on the size of your choice but the assurance is that you can get it locally made if you are just starting out.

As your business increases, you can now go for more sophisticated ones of between N300-N500k and the good thing about this is that it is capable of drying good number of fishes quicker in an internationally acceptable way.
Again, as a big player in the market, you will also need NAFDAC approval which doesn’t really cost much if you follow the normal process in obtaining your permit. You have to follow the above steps for your products to be widely accepted, but if you are contented with playing small in the big industry, you may not bother implementing all those important strategies.

The Profit Potentials In Smoked Catfish Business

A kilogram of catfish goes between N400 to N600. Each of these costs about N100 to have it processed and packaged.
You can retail to your customers at the rate of N1,500 or more. You can as well take your goods to some supermarkets at the rate of N800 or N1,000 while they sell at any price of their choice.
Assuming that in a whole month, all you were able to dry and sell to your customers are just 1,500 packs and each sold at a moderate price of N1,000, now multiply that by 1,500 while you remove your cost prize per one which may be not up to N600, add up what you get and then compare it with what top average office workers are earning per month.

You see, there is good money to be made from smoked catfish if you handle it like serious business locally not to talk of expanding your business beyond the shores of this country.
With a place to use as your factory preferably in your compound with a good shade for your machine, going into the business may not even cost you up to N500,000 as such amount is capable of getting you an (ISO) machine for the drying and sealing of the fishes, a business name with CAC, and NAFDAC approval.
When you have all this done, be rest assured that your products would be accepted anywhere in the world!. N/B, Do not take your fish to the supermarkets with hopes of receiving your cash immediately, no they will not pay you unless your goods are sold but if you are able to meet up with the required standards and have your fish properly garnished, hygienically packed, appetizing to the eyes, that on it’s own would turn your products to hotcake in the markets making even the supermarkets to be paying you in advance.
As we talk about the profit potentials in dry catfish business, the demands for Nigerian dried catfish are even more in abroad but the simple truth is that the local market demands has not yet been met.

How To Start Egg Supply Business in Your Neighborhood

Are you a Nigerian looking for something to do as business or you just graduated from the college and you are still waiting for that white collar jobs in Nigeria where you can knot tie and put on that corporate suit and jacket everyday? Well let me introduce you to a business that is fast yielding profit, not just a little one but profit that you can conveniently rely on. This business I am talking about is eggs supply business.
Eggs supply business is very lucrative and you can determine what you want your profit to look like. Before we analyze the potential profit of this business, let us know the advantages and uses of eggs to see the reason the business of eggs supply is booming.
Egg is high in cholesterol and this makes it a perfect diet for growing children. It can reduce risk of many diseases, it supplies quality protein to the body, it is rich in vitamin A and this helps healthy eyesight, it contains chlorine and this is used to build cell membranes which helps in producing molecules in the human brain.
The uses of eggs are numerous, we use eggs in baking different types of confectioneries like bread, cakes, meat-pie and so on. It is  used as cosmetics like shampoo, conditioners, soaps, cholesterol, face mask and lots more. It is also used as glue, the sticky quality of egg white clean some certain surfaces like leather. To make it clear, the demand for eggs in the Nigerian market is so high right now and will continue to be so.
For you to make success in buying and selling eggs there are some tips to put into consideration and here are some of the tips you need for your eggs supply business.

Have Your Own Vehicle

Egg business is more profitable in Nigeria when you make it a mobile business. Purpose of this is to make you distribute your eggs conveniently to your customers. Most shop owners usually feel too comfortable once they are seated in their shops, and so they feel reluctant to go to the farms in order to pick eggs and also they consider the number of cracked eggs they will realize picking eggs directly from farm on their own. This is why being mobile is important in egg business.

Locate Your Target Market

Picking up eggs from farms is not a problem, your target market is what matters to you. Your target should be the highly populated environment. It could be markets any where, the mobility aspect makes you spread your distribution process all around. Once you know where and whom to distribute your eggs to, you will only need to go there directly.
To start buying and selling eggs, you must locate two or more farms depending on what capacity you want to work on, a poultry farm is where you can pick up eggs for sale. Before you can start picking eggs from farms, you must be a registered customer with the farm, and you must be consistent there, meaning you have to always pick up eggs weekly.

Other Working Tools

The basic tool needed for this business is empty crates, it could be paper crates or plastic crates. You can buy crates of 100 pieces at N10,000 or N5,000 if you choose to buy the paper crates , the total number you will need to run your business now depends on you. Note that the paper crates are more protective to your eggs, it reduces the number of cracks you will realize from transferring your eggs, and it is cheaper as well but damages more quickly than the plastic ones.

Cost of acquiring a used vehicle constitutes almost 90% of your capital needed in this business. Once you are mobile, the only cost you will need to run this business for a start is N80,000, with this amount you can buy 120 crates of eggs. A crate of egg can cost N650 or less  from farm depending on the size you choose to buy, any balance left will be incurred on fueling your vehicle and other road expenses.

Potential Profit In Eggs Supply Business

In this business, you are your own boss and you will decide how much profit you want to make in a week. Depending on any size of egg you choose to buy, you will gain profit of N100 on a crate of egg if you sell as a whole seller but if you choose to sell as retailer you can have profit of N300 on a crate. If you restrict yourself to selling just 100 crates of eggs weekly, that means you will realize profit of N10,000 weekly and this is just N40, 000 monthly.
This is how you determine your profit. Setting a target to sell 1,000 crates of egg per week will mean you will realize  100 x 1,000 = N100,000 weekly, multiply this per month, that is a whooping sum of N400,000 profit monthly. If you deduct your monthly expenses from this amount am very sure you will still have a reasonable amount to save.
Buying and selling eggs might look odd to you but concentrate on how profitable it is and stop waiting for gainful employment in that oil and gas company that may not come until when your responsibilities are enormous. Keep yourself busy and be productive.
Feel free to leave a comment, and if you have any challenges, don’t hesitate to ask questions, locating a farm where you can pick up eggs can also be a challenge to you, ask us any question we will gladly respond to you.
Wish you all the best in your business career.
What Next…
You can also start your own poultry farm.