Here in this post, we are going to give you a breakdown of the steps to start an onion business in Nigeria. We hope you find this post inspiring and useful.
One of the major reasons why Nigerians fail to provide enough food, for domestic consumption or even export is because, most Nigerians feel farming is a menial job for poor northerners.
The truth is, Farming has made people millionaires and you too can become a millionaire with smart agriculture. This article will guide you on how to start an Onion business in Nigeria.
Read Also: How To Start Onions Farming In Nigeria; A Complete Guide
Overview of Onions Business in Nigeria
One of the most lucrative of Farming businesses is the Onion farming business. Onions has a wide variety of uses, even though it is known mainly for cooking in Nigeria. This wide range of uses is what makes onions a food item sort worldwide.
If you are planning on starting up an onion farm, you are setting yourself up to become rich in no time, provided that you plan and put in a lot of hard work. Onions farming is a huge business with good turnouts, provided you know what you are doing.
Read Also: Steps To Start Okra Farming Business In Nigeria
Many successful people in the world made it through farming and agriculture, examples include:
- Pramod Gautam: INDIA
- OLUSEGUN OBANSANJO: NIGERIA
- MUTARLA NYAKO: NIGERIA
- USMAN DANTATA: NIGERIA E.T.C
Profitability/Opportunities
Even though the price of a bag of onions fluctuates in the market, the standard price is between 10 to 25,000 naira (Excluding festive seasons since the price can double).
You can make a profit of over 400,000, minus the cost of labor and other logistics when you harvest up to 20 bags at the end of the season.
This numbers however, are not limited as farmers have sometimes been able to harvest 200 bags. This will mean a profit of over 4 million naira at the end of the season.
Competition
Because of the ideology about this business, there is not much competition. in fact, demand always surpasses supply, that is one of the reasons why onions become very scarce in the market when out of season in Nigeria.
How to Start Onions Business
It’s time to show you the proper steps to start your own successful Onions farm.
1. Research/Conduct Feasibility Study
Don’t make the common mistake of delving into a business you know little or nothing about. Take your time to find and research everything about onions.
For starters, There are three types of onions; Red, Yellow and White. This Onions have different physical appearances, Flavor and taste.
Although, the most common one in Nigeria is the white Onions. So I will advise that you deal with the white onions as it is the commonest in the market.
Read Also: How to Farm Cocoa in Nigeria
2. Get a Land
This is the most important part of the business, because obviously you will need a land to farm. However, you can use your personal land or family land provided you take permission from the relevant authorities.
You can also find a landlord and negotiate with him on a rent payment every year or every season. Some farmers split their produce with the landlord as a form of payment, you can do that as well. Try to get a land that is closest to your local market, so that transporting your harvest can be easier.
For maximum production, Onions are to be grown in seeds and then be transplanted by hand. This will enable you to carefully determine the crop spacing. The best space is usually 1/2 an inch apart and 3/8 inch deep. The rows is best put at 15 inches apart.
3. Get Suitable Equipment
By farming equipment, I do not mean an automatic multi-tasking tractor. A small set of less expensive tools will do for the meantime. You can get these tools from your local market, a list of them and their prospective prices include;
- A RAKE- 1,500 to 2000
- A SHOVEL- 3,000 to 4,000
- A WATERING CAN- 1,500
- FERTILIZER EQUIPMENT- 2500 to 3000
This prices may differ in your local market. However, you can go and find out for yourself.
For Bigger Farm
Tractor (around 45 kW)
Precision planter
Fertilizer equipment (spreader)
Spray equipment
Cultivation equipment (harrows)
Bed-former
Tractor mounted fork-lift for field use
Shed forklift
Solid-set irrigation equipment per hectare
About 80 half-ton bins per hectare
Read Also: How to Start Ogbono Business in Nigeria
Maintain The Crop
You have to irrigate the soil regularly and apply fertilizers to the plants. Although some soils are naturally fertile, it is still advisable to apply fertilizer to the soil to yield more produce.
Fertilizers can be gotten from your local store or an Agric market. You can also buy fertilizer online from stores like Jumia, JiJi E.T.C.
Do not apply too much manure, as this is known to cause the onions to develop thick head and too many leaves as opposed to bulb formation. They are also known to host a lot of insects. Also take your time to weed your farm regularly, this can be done by hand.
Employ Labour
Now that you have purchased your equipment, it is time to employ a set of extra hands. You hire local farmers to help out in irrigating your farm and pay them monthly or daily.
You can also employ them to help water the plants at their early stages of development i.e. (Transplanting period). They can also be helpful in weeding the farm.
Harvesting
Seasonal harvest can vary, usually depending on your hard work and commitment. I know of someone very close who harvested 125 bags in his 1 plot farmland. He sold each bag to a company for 15,000 naira each. Onions are usually planted November or December and takes 3 to 4 months to reach maturity.
Usually, harvesting is done by pulling the onion bulbs of the onion plant then removing it from the leaves. After harvesting, it is mandatory you dry the Onions in the sun before storing them.
This is because moisture can cause fungal disease infestation. After adequate drying of the onions, the bulbs can then be stored ready to be transported to your local market.
Advertising Your Business
Now that you have harvested your produce, it’s time to let people know about your business and sell your products. You can cold pitch your onions to retailers in your local market.
Read Also: 7 Steps to Produce Vegetable Oil in Nigeria
Conclusion
Agriculture is a job for the hardworking and can dish out very beautiful turnouts. Always weed your farm, plant seeds and transplant them at an early age.
