Something that you can harvest within a year. Their plantain plants get only 5-6 months of rainfall. The plantain fruit isn’t eaten raw, but it is good to boil, fry or steam. All information is provided on an as-is basis. Palm tree … The herbs or grasses are the most pernicious because they need the same nutriment as plantains. The space between plants can be used for other plants, with a short life cycle, for example, yam, groundnut, and maize. They are stapled foods grown throughout the tropics, constitute a major source of carbohydrates for millions of people in Africa, the Caribbean, Latin America, Asia, and the Pacific. It is better to destroy the sucker with infestation and brown or black spots. Few trees are retained. It is better to use mulch in the case of perennial cultivation. In Nigeria the areas with the highest number of plantain plantation include: Edo, Delta, Cross river, Ekiti, Ogun, and other states in the tropics. This cannot be achieved with bowls. Banana and plantain are cultivated in a wide variety of environments. But the best decision is to plant the plantain in the middle of the rainy season. Before you invest time, effort, or cash into any business, it is imperative to find out if the business is profitable or not. Some people refer to bananas as trees or palms, but they are neither a tree nor a palm, but a giant clumping tropical herb. This could be from the 7th or 9th year. One of the main requirements is that the soil must be rich in organic matter, especially in black soil. If you choose to grow plantains from rhizomes (same idea as growing from seeds), you'll need to dig a very large hole. It is an herb and like most herbs it is propagated through asexual methods. By Heidi Cardenas Plantain (Musa paradisiaca) is a fruit tree related to bananas, producing similar looking fruit that doesn’t ripen yellow but stays green. Plantain business is very lucrative but needs a start up capital of about N500 - N2 Million Naira. • plantain • ornamental. All data and information provided on this site is for informational purposes only. I advice that you use bowls as a last resort because Okpa needs to be completely immersed in hot boiling water for an even texture when done. agriculturenigeria.com makes no representations as to accuracy, completeness, correctness, suitability, or validity of any information on this site and will not be liable for any errors, omissions, or delays in this information or any losses, injuries, or damages arising from its display or use. Nigeria is one of the largest plantain producing countries in the world (FAO, 2006). Horn plantains can’t give you a big amount of yield, the farmer can choose between French or a False Horn plantain. occupies a strategic position for rapid food production in Nigeria. In southern Cameroon, plantain is the most important food cash crop and is a favoured staple, with an income demand elasticity near one (Temple et al., 1996). I use the strings from the big Nigerian rice bag, you know, the 50kg bags of rice. Large quantities and as much as you demand. The mulch should cover the soil completely. The following are types of planting material used to propagate plantain: Peeper: This a small sucker emerging from the soil, Maiden sucker: This is a large sucker with foliage leaves, Sword sucker: This is a large sucker with lanceolated leaves considered the best planting material. Plantain (Musa spp.) Cultivating crops that takes a year to mature will help provide the money that can be used in the maintenance cost of the palm trees when the products are sold. Plantain plants do best in loamy soil, the soil should contain enough organic matter with moderate moisture content. Nairaland Forum / Nairaland / General / Agriculture / What Crops Can Be Intercropped With Plantain? The price for this plant is growing so, farmers are interested in growing more plantains. One should prepare the field with a minimum disturbance to the soil. Plantain farming made very easy through this article, Keep reading to find more interesting facts about plantain farming in Nigeria. This is a good source for a local farmer to get some revenue. Plantain trees need care similar to banana trees – keep the soil moist, protect it during cold snaps, and feed it a slow-release fertilizer about once a month during the active growing season. With the usage of inorganic fertilizers, the farmer can easily handle the concentrated nutrients. It is an herb and like most herbs it is propagated through asexual methods. Having done your part of setting up your oil palm plantation in Nigeria, the next is to maintain it and wait for your yield. Nigeria is one of the largest plantain producing countries in the world (FAO, 2006). Be careful not to damage the sucker corm. Your plantain trees will continue to give you money for about 3 - 5 years. It is better to plant the plantains in the time of rainy season. Breaking: Tension as armed robbers attack bank, reportedly kill five persons in... 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This should be done because it helps control weed, protect the topsoil from harsh weather conditions such as heavy rainfall, intense sunshine, etc. The weeds control is very important if you want your plantain to do well, the cost of weed management could account for up to. Bits: These are pieces obtained from a corm that has been chopped. Keep the mulch 6 inches away from the trunk and extend the … Plantain needs a hot and humid environment; the average temperature should be at about 30oc, the rainfall should not go more than 100mm per month, the rainfall should be well distributed round the year and dry seasons should be short. Spread a 4- to 6-inch-thick layer of organic mulch around the base of the plantain tree. The recommended distance between the plantain rows is 3 m or 2 m. It is also possible to leave 2.5 m of a spacing distance. Imagine, your plantain gets water through irrigation all year round; the yield will be 50-100% more. Despite this, the agro-business opportunity has not been effectively taken advantage of because most entrepreneurs lack the knowledge required to effectively set up, manage, and build a strong local and international supply chain network for the plantain farming business.