Why more people are taking interest in coconut

Experts explain how farmers can reap maximum profits For several years, Alhaji Muftau Oyelekan, who lives and farms in Badagry, has been a coconut farmer. It was inherited from his parents and his children are also into coconut farming and processing. Every year, he harvests coconuts from his trees and sells every part of it, […]

• Experts explain how farmers can reap maximum profits

For several years, Alhaji Muftau Oyelekan, who lives and farms in Badagry, has been a coconut farmer. It was inherited from his parents and his children are also into coconut farming and processing. Every year, he harvests coconuts from his trees and sells every part of it, from the flesh, the water/milk, to the shell and the husk. He does this four to six times in a year.

As he and other coconut farmers harvest, the customers are already there waiting with their trucks. Some are from the Northern part of the country, some from the East and people from other Southwestern states also take their trucks to Badagry to buy coconuts in their hundreds.

When the coconut farmer is busy and cannot arrange for a climber during harvest, the customers arrange for it as they are already waiting. They assist in ensuring a smooth harvest including assisting the climbers to get the coconuts down from the tree.

Investment

Many would wonder what is special about coconut to attract people to Badagry and other parts of Lagos? Driving home his reasons for investing in the cash crop, Oyelekan who is a Director at Biodun Eko farm Ltd emphasized there has been an increase in the demand for coconut from all parts of the country. People troop into Lagos to purchase it during harvest.

“People don’t know what they are losing by not investing in coconut. Anyone who invests in coconut will surely have their money back. It drives in money, both the fresh and processed ones. If you have up to 50 coconut trees, relax because you are in money.”

Farming

Why do people visit Lagos to buy Coconuts? According to brainly.in, coconut trees only grow in tropical climates and are likely to be found in coastal areas. The trees require regular rainfall to grow and also, they only grow in sandy soil.

The past president of Lagos State Apex Fadama Community Association, Alhaji Muftau Oyelekan, mentioned that in the past, once a seedling has been planted, it takes a coconut tree six to 10 years to be ready for harvesting. Nowadays, there are improved varieties which make a coconut ready to be harvested within three and half to four years.

The coconut plant which can stand for at least a 100 years according to Oyelekan, can be harvested between four to six times in a year under very good management.

“As a coconut farmer, there are a lot of things that can be done to enhance the growth of a coconut seedling. After planting coconut, organic manure is needed as a raw fertilizer. We don’t use inorganic. Asides that, we water during the dry season. It is best to establish a coconut farm or plantation during the rainy season, if it is done during the dry season, it will become dry. Before the next season, it is fully established, all that is required is to maintain the weeds around it,” Oyelekan lectured.

He emphasised that coconuts are managed seasonally. Due to the long term of harvest, it is usually advisable to inter-crop by planting other crops besides it, which could be cassava, maize or other things. As the farmer is maintaining the other crops, the coconut farms are equally maintained.

Why coconuts are so important

The coconut trees, as well as their products, are widely sought after as various products could be derived from the tree, right from the leaves down to the root. It provides food, fuel, cosmetics, folk medicine and building materials, among many other uses. 

In a more vivid explanation, dengarden.com described the products from coconut as; flesh (from this, individuals eat it as food and derive milk and process flour from it). The water inside the coconut is highly sought after in beaches and other parts of the country due to its medicinal use. The oil is used by some for cooking, as a skincare product and for hair growth. The shells are used by some in making crafts and it is used to steam food. The husk is used by some as a natural scrubber, a craft material and it serves as a rope too. The tree leaves are used for thatching while the sticks are used in making brooms used in sweeping homes and the environment. 

“The coconut water, flesh, husk and shell are raw materials for so many companies. Coconut shells are being used as mosquito coils and a lot of factories are looking for them. The shell can be used for so many designs and interior decorations. The coconut flesh itself, where oil is derived, is anti-cancer. Some use coconut oil for their cooking. A lot of restaurants are looking for coconut oil, Oyelekan related.

A coconut processor, Mrs. Zainab Adebowale Alogba, on her part, hinted that after using the flesh, the coconut shell is sold to those who use it for various things including making an activated charcoal, a main ingredient used for all types of batteries such as car, inverter and other batteries.

Latest intervention

Few days ago, the Lagos State government signed a 200,000 dollars Unilateral Trust Fund Agreement (UTF) with the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the UN (FAO-UN) for development of the coconut value chain.

This agreement was part of efforts by the state to plant 10 million productive coconut trees within the next five years, with a projection of over 800 million husked nuts with potential economic value of over N120bn, which could be tripled to a tune of N360bn worth of transactional volume with value addition.

The General Manager, Lagos State Coconut Development Authority (LASCODA), Mr Dapo Olakulehin, admitted that in the past, coconut was grown in the wild, along the beaches and people just harvested it. Now, there are lots of farmers who are deliberately cultivating coconut as if they are cultivating oil palm.

Lagos has over three million coconut trees out of which more than two million are active and productive in Badagry, Ojo, Epe, Apapa, Ibeju Lekki, among others.

The Coconut Agency boss in his estimation stated that at the moment, the farmers that are cultivating coconut in hectares and are doing it commercially are about 100 in Epe and Badagry while the peasant farmers who plant in the traditional way on the other hand, are close to 40,000 across the state.

Categorizing Coconut products, he noted that from each coconut, the edible and non-edible products can be derived. The edible products, he emphasised, are left in the hands of small-scale processors so they can thrive instead of having gigantic coconut factories.

“The non-edible, the husk and shell on the other hand, is technologically driven. From the husk, we can get more than 120 products. Without a coconut husk, a greenhouse for farming cannot be built. One of the products from the husk is used in greenhouse farming.

“We are working with the private sector to establish a coconut husk processing factory so they can process the husk to get various products.”

Olakulehin acknowledged that from the shell, so many products can be derived too including coconut charcoal. The shell is a waste to many but it can be converted. Coconut charcoal is one of the best in terms of quality more than that of wood charcoal. It can be used as a water treatment, a source of energy.

“Using coconut shells for charcoal will reduce deforestation and we will be less dependent on wood for charcoal.”

He explained, “These two non-edibles are technological driven which the small-scale processors cannot do. To achieve it, it will be private sector driven. Ours is to create an enabling environment. One factory will be at Epe/Ibeju Lekki axis and the other one at Badagry axis. If the factories are put in place, it can give direct employment to close to 2,000 people. We have gotten one or two investors. All things being equal, the Badagry factory will kick off in 2022.”

LASCODA boss further revealed, “We are training youths on coconut arts and crafts. We have trained close to 1,000 youths so far and some have taken up the business for survival. There is no way someone can do a coconut business alone. Even when processing as low as 20 coconuts, you cannot crack it yourself. It is a labour-friendly value chain,” he indicated.

Challenges

Mrs Alogba explained that though coconut derivatives are profitable, it comes with its challenges.

“There is no support from the government for marketing. If the government can give take off grants, it will make it easier. If the export promotion council can get us market outside Nigeria, it will go a long way. NAFDAC, SON, for instance, are only after registration and renewal with a huge amount of money. The economic situation in the country also affects us. An average Nigerian is only after how to put food on the table, not in using coconut.”