How to Start Maize Farming in Nigeria is aimed at bringing to your perusal the procedures involved in starting Maize Farming from beginning to end.
How to Make Money from Maize Farming
How to Start Maize Farming:
- Land Preparation for Maize Farming
- Selection of Seed Variety for Maize farming
- Planting Maize
- Pests and Diseases Control for a healthy Maize Farming
- Weeding for a healthy maize farming
- Harvesting your Maize
Maize farming which is known as corn farming is one of the most lucrative businesses you could ever think of in Nigeria, and globally.
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This is owing to its vast strategic importance and versatility. Most of our daily diets today contain maize either directly or indirectly.
Apart from maize being boiled, roasted, or processed into pap and popcorn for human consumption, it is also used industrially by brewing companies, Nestle, and other manufacturers.
Maize is an important ingredient in animal feeds. This makes it indirectly involved in the production of milk, yogurt, meat, and eggs.
Although, Africa produces over 50 million tons of maize yearly but still incurs over $2 billion in expenses on the importation of maize from abroad.
The reason is not far-fetched, as this is because the African population grows frequently.
Therefore, the demand and consumption of maize increase correspondingly. Maize is a crop with high energy and nutritional value.
It is very rich in vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, protein, fiber, carbohydrates, and lots more. Venturing into the Maize farming business could be more rewarding than you ever imagined.
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Here is the step to step guide to starting a successful maize farming business:
1. Land Preparation for Maize Farming
Acquire land with fertile loamy or sandy-loam soil. The landscape should be flat and not water-logged.
Ensure there is sufficient sunlight in the area and cut down trees/vegetation that could hinder sunlight rays from reaching your farmland.
Clear debris and grasses on your land and till soil to make it lose. After preparing the soil, apply NPK fertilizer to boost soil fertility.
This is carried out in order to get high-yield crops. Planting should not be delayed at this juncture, to avoid weeds outgrowing your maize crops.
2. Selection of Seed Variety for Maize farming
Maize seeds vary in species. Cogent factors to consider when choosing your species are:
a. How fast they grow season of planting,
b. How resistant they are to pests and diseases,
c. How well they survive drought and whether they are of high yield quality or not.
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The common maize seeds variety is
a. Late season seeds
Late-season seeds are best cultivated in areas where the rainy seasons are long. They grow into full maturity within 110-120 days.
b. Early season seeds
This variety is cultivated after the late-season seeds and grows into full maturity within 90-100 days.
c. Extra-early season seeds
The extra-early season seeds are best suitable for areas with short-term rainfall. They grow into full maturity within 80-90 days.
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3. Planting Maize
Maize is best cultivated when the rainy season has just begun. Planting in this period propels optimal growth and proficiency of your maize seeds.
This season as well provides adequate water for your maize plant growth. Plant maize seeds about 2 inches deep in the soil and ensures proper spacing of about 15-20 inches between crops.
4. Pests and Diseases Control for a healthy Maize Farming
It is highly essential to protect your maize crops against pest attacks such as; strikes, grasshoppers, armyworms, downy mildew, and lots more.
It is recommended to spray pesticides and fungicides to help curb the activities of these pests and diseases on your maize plant.
5. Weeding for a healthy maize farming
Removal of unwanted grasses is highly essential. This will help curb unhealthy competition for space, water, and other nutrients with your maize plant.
Weeding could be done mechanically or chemically by spraying herbicide. Weeding is carried out within 6-8weeks after planting.
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6. Harvesting your Maize
When maize plants are fully matured, harvesting can be carried out. Harvesting of maize crops can be carried out by hand or mechanically by using a harvester.
Harvest maize crops and pack them in bags for sale. Locate potential buyers/markets for the constant delivery of maize crops to them.
We hope this was helpful!
