One of the businesses you can do in Nigeria is potato farming. Steps To Start Potato Farming Business In Nigeria will be explained in this article.

Nigeria produces up to 346000 metric tonnes of potatoes on an annual basis and they export tomatoes. Potatoes are tubers and have starch. Sweet potatoes include edible tubers.

An Overview Of Potato Farming Business In Nigeria

Nigerians eat potatoes by frying, adding it to other foods and boiling. Sweet potatoes are very common in Nigeria and is used for making products like starch, ethanol and glucose.

Read Also: 11 Steps to Start Tomato Farming Business in Nigeria

Health Benefits Of Potatoes

i) Potatoes have fibres and cut down the level of cholesterol in the blood system.
ii) It contains vitamin BC which helps brain and nerves.
iii) Potatoes have potassium which can lower blood pressure.
iv) The presence of vitamin C cuts down cold and scurvy.

Read Also: How to Start Vegetable Farming in Nigeria

Is Potato Farming Possible In All Regions Of The Country?

Potatoes thrive well in some parts of Nigeria like Eastern, Middle Belt and Southern Nigeria. However potatoes do not perform well where rainfall is not sufficient. Potatoes can be cultivated in other parts of Nigeria.

What Are The Things To Note Before Starting Potato Farming

Capital for your potato business

Quality of seeds

Choose seeds that have higher yields . Some species yield more and is more suitable for your potato business.

Land quality

The land may need some improvement activities if it does not contain adequate nutrients at the initial stage.

Storage

Since you are storing the potatoes for commercial purposes, make provisions on how to avoid post harvest losses. It is preferable to prepare how to market the potatoes before planting. This will help to prevent post- harvest losses.

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Choosing the potato site

You can cultivate your potatoes in places with adequate sunlight. Drain the PH of the soil to be between 5.5 and 6.5. Cultivating the potatoes in different lands is possible but potatoes do well in land that have not undergone farming for two years.

What Amount Of Rainfall Do Potatoes Need?

Potatoes require enough water and this is why there should be adequate furrowing.

Start by using your capital or by leasing funds.

Procedures To Begin Potato Business In Nigeria

 1. Business plan and land

Get a good business plan to cover the facets of the business. The land for your potatoes should undergo ridging, harrowing and ploughing. Clear the land on first instance and then clear it with cutlass. Preparing the land well to help the land to perform. Shovel can serve for clearing and hoes can make ridges.

Cultivating potatoes is different from cultivating yams. Furrow in form of beds before you plant.

2. Seed selection

Go for seeds that can yield more resistant pests and diseases.

3. Planting of potatoes

Planting stems is an option. This means you start by cultivating the stems and then you plant it at a later time. Allow the bulbs to face up and then fold stems round.

Ensure that the entire section of the roots goes into the soil. You can plant them using other crop categories. Crops like maize and guinea corn can go with potatoes.
Planting of potatoes occurs on March.

Dissect the potatoes first and plant them in smaller pieces. You can plant each of them in a hole using a temperature of 7°C in dry soil.

Allow a few days to let the crops be a covering around themselves. This helps them to keep their moisture and avoid rotting. Plant it 15cm from the surface of the top soil.

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Stages Of Growth Of Potatoes

a) They first sprout and then grow their roots.
b) Photosynthesis follows as the plant obtains leaves and branches.
c) Bulking of tubers makes the plant to take in resources within the new tubers.
d) Tuber formation halts once the temperature reach 27°C.

Factors That Affect Growth

• Balance and soil moisture
• Soil temperature and moisture
• Resistance to pests and diseases.

Irrigation Of Potatoes

Drip irrigation is a type of irrigation you can use. It helps to provide moisture for the soil and crop and in the distribution of nutrients in correct quantities. Water it weekly.

Germination of seeds begin after 20 days. NPK fertilizers can enhance the quality of nutrients and promote growth. Weed periodically.

4. Harvesting

Harvesting can be from around August and September and the maturity period of the potatoes is 3 months. When the foliage turns to brown then you begin to get ready to harvest. Harvest when the soil gets dry. Do not damage the potatoes when you are removing them from the ground.

Remove the dirt from the potatoes during storage.

Storing the potatoes

There should be proper ventilation with no excessive sunlight with a temperature that is between ten and seven degrees. It is equivalent to between 50°C and 45°C.

Its temperature should be under 4°C and transforms the starch to sugar. Too much temperatures changes the taste and cooking attributes thereby increasing the acerylamide level.

You can store the potatoes in optimal conditions and this should be between 10 to 12 months.

Storing For Commercial Purposes

If you are storing for commercial purposes, it involves cooling, reconditioning and warming of potatoes. Mechanical ventilation lets you reduce the condensation.

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Ways Of Using Potatoes

i) Nigerians eat potatoes when they are peeled, whole, cut or seasoned. Cooking brings out the starch granules. Potatoes are made into salads and chips. Many Nigerians eat much tomatoes.
ii) Breweries use tomatoes for making alcohol.
iii) Potatoes can be used for feeding animals.
iv) The starch of potatoes can serve as thickness and binders. Textile industries use them as adhesives and for forming papers and boards.
v) Potato skin can help in curing burns.
vi) Potatoes can serve as a commodity for export.
vii) Some research centres use tomatoes. Potatoes have a low metabolic characteristics and the tissues makes them useful for research.
viii) Potatoes is used for baking of applications, biscuits and bread.
ix) They serve as biofuel for converting the potatoes to bio-ethanol.
x) Starch

You can use starch for making noodles and for pig farming.

Conclusion

Potato farming business is one of the lucrative businesses you can do in Nigeria. There is still need for production of potatoes in Nigeria and this article tells you how to start.