How to Start Pineapple Farming Business In Nigeria

 

Pineapple farming business in Nigeria requires a lot of things other than just planting and harvesting of pineapple fruits. As a pineapple farmer, you are
supposed to have a detailed pineapple farming business plan that will guide you through the whole process of managing your business.
Pineapple is among the first 5 most popular fruits in West Africa and popularly loved because of its rich taste. It can be eaten raw or used in the production of many juices and even the popular zobo drink.

Pineapple Production 

Health Benefits Of Pineapple

1. Pineapples are tropical fruit that are very rich in enzymes, vitamins, and antioxidents. 
2. They aid in building strong bones, 
3. boost the body's immune system and also aid indigestion.
4. Due to the level of vitamin C present in pineapples, they help in reducing the risk of macular degeneration, a disease that affects the eyes as people age.
5. Pineapples also aid in the reduction of excess blood coagulation due to its bromelain levels. 
6. The bromelain levels of pineapples also makes them useful in reducing mucus from the nose and throat.

How to Start Pineapple Farming Business
I've heard people asking questions like 'how do pineapple farms work?' or feasibility study on pineapple farming and at the end of this article, I'm certain you won't be left below anything other than satisfied.

Many websites have free PDF guide on pineapple farming in Nigeria and you might decide to download any of them if you need further help or contact us for a detailed business plan.
In starting a pineapple farm, the first thing a farmer should do is to choose a good soil.

The best type of soil for planting pineapples is deep sandy loam though you can us any other type of soil so far it’s free of water logging conditions and organic matter is added to make it more fertile.

Although pineapples are fairly drought resistant, they perform best in areas with well distributed rainfall of at least 1, 000mm per annum. Thy enjoy humid weather conditions and prefer soils with good water retention ability.
Lands used for the cultivation of pineapples should be free of stumps and ploughed for the purpose of planting.

Propagation
You can either grow pineapples from the crown, sucker or by their slip. A pineapples sucker is a little plantlets that grows between the leaves of a mature pineapple.
Because pineapple plants mostly rely on their leaves for the water and nutrition they need, they can be planted in nurseries and transplanted to the main fields when they are about a foot tall.

Spacing
Pineapples should be planted in double row spacing and a space of:

• 60cm should be given between the rows
• 30cm should be given between the plants, and
• 60cm should be given between adjacent double rows

The propagules should be planted 7cm to 10cm deep on a levelled ground after which you can start the ridging.

Nutritional requirements
You can apply Nitrogen fertiliser at the rate of 50 kg per hectare by broadcasting and it should be after around one month after planting.

In addition, around 41kg to 670kg of fertiliser should be applied per hectare at three to six months interval before maturity.

Harvesting
Pineapples usually mature at 15-24 months after planting depending on the planting material used. It is preferable to cut the fruits rather than break them by the stalk.