BusinessHABWatermelon Cultivation Business:Watermelon is a delicious fruit that has many health benefits.
They are a highly sort and marketable product common in many countries.
It is an effective rudiment in fitness programs that involve weight loss and obesity.
Farmers are able to harvest fruits three times in the year because of their fast rate of production.
Watermelon farming is one of the mainstay of agriculture in Nigeria which is gradually taking over from crude oil.
This is so because the country is gradually witnessing a shift from crude oil focused exports, to agricultural produce focused exports.
This has seen an increase in the level of foreign exchange earned by Nigeria, and by extension the farmers.
Poverty is being reduced to a bare minimum through this.
The fruit is highly profitable because of the readily available market for the product.
It is eating raw or processed into various industrial beverages.
The melon is tough, rugged and withstands harsh conditions, pests and other agents.
To engage in watermelon farming you need adequate land, knowledge of planting techniques, and harvesting methods.
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Other requirements are marketing the product, transportation and funding.
In some geo-locations watermelons are cultivated for water especially in desert regions.
The fruit is widely distributed around the world and you find them on all contents.
Things to consideration before starting a watermelon farm are quality of the seedling and adequate sunlight.
In this article, we will focus on an agricultural produce which is in high demand both domestically and internationally.
This produce is non other than watermelon.
The watermelon fruit is highly nutritious as well as having the much needed water to hydrate your body.
Due to its high nutritious content it is recommended by nutritionists to to be taken as often as possible.
12 Tips to Start Watermelon Cultivation Business
1. Watermelon Cultivation Business:Buy Agricultural Property
Before you start your enterprise you need adequate land for your venture.
You need a minimum of one acre of land to remain commercially viable.
You have to be critical on the soil composition because watermelon grow best in certain environments.
2. Watermelon Cultivation Business:Know the different Kinds of Watermelon
You also have to determine which variety of watermelon you want to plant.
As there are several varieties of these fruits. Some of these include;
- The Crimson Sweet Watermelon – This is one of the common varieties of watermelon in Nigeria. It has a deep red flesh, as well as a very sweet taste.
- The Black Diamond – This specie is yet another type of watermelon variety. This has a dark skin, but has a red flesh within.
- The Congo Watermelon – Another varieties of watermelon include the Congo variety and the moon and stars variety.
There are different kinds of watermelon based on species.
They come in different sizes, fruit sizes and colors.
To mention a few we have the Royal Sweet, Revolution, Gypsy, Carson, Super Crisp and Millionaire.
Others are the Yellow Doll, Lantha, Sangia, Vanessa and Leopard.
3. Watermelon Cultivation Business: Know the benefits of watermelon
Having introduced the subject of our discussion.
Let’s check out some nutritious benefits of this fruit to the body.
Why is watermelon a highly desirable fruit?
It is simply because it is made up of 92% water.
Other nutrients contained in watermelon include vitamin A, B6, and C.
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Others include antioxidants, lycopene, amino acids and potassium.
These are well known nutrients which are beneficial to the body and decrease the chances of the body coming under health risks.
One of his several advantages is that it is easily accessible and very cheap.
This means that it is well within the reach of the every Nigerian.
4. Know the Soil and temperature requirement
Watermelons grow rapidly in favorable conditions.
The soil should be properly aerated, hold water with a PH level of 5.7-6.7.
Avoid cold temperatures, frost or clay soil.
The average temperature to grow large watermelon is between 65 degrees Fahrenheit to 95 degrees Fahrenheit.
Temperatures above and bellow the range results in poor harvest and slow growth.
You should properly regulate the water available to your crops include soil moisture.
5. Get the needed equipment for the farming business
To grow watermelons you need good equipment and fertile land.
The equipment’s you need are plastic mulch layers, bed-shaper and trans-planter.
Other major equipment’s are tractor, truck for transportation and boom sprayer.
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6. Watermelon Cultivation Business:Know the background
Every part of Nigeria supports watermelon farming.
However, a bulk of current production comes from the northern part of the country.
Although this is the case, you can take advantage of its ability to grow anywhere within Nigeria to start cultivating it.
Watermelon is always available.
This is due to rainy season and irrigation cultivation of the fruit.
This means that the fruit is available all year round.
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7. Watermelon Cultivation Business:Hire an expert consultant during the planting
You can plant about 3, 500 plants per acre, 6 feet apart for best results.
They should be in single rows on plastic mulched beds 35 inches between plants.
Farmers can source their seedling from commercial quantity producers or government institutions.
Choose the verity that grows best in your geographical location.
It is easier to grow seeds than watermelon transplants so chose the first option.
Adequate provisions are important during transplanting such as watering and soil temperature.
Learn all the basics about planting watermelon or hire an expert consultant during the planting season.
Bees and pollinators are essential to the plants distribution, and fruiting.
You also need a good pest management system such as crop rotation, plastic mulch including herbicides.
Dangerous pests to watch out for are maggots, aphids, and beetles.
Countries have different rules in the administration of pesticides.
Ground water pollution is a real threat when pesticides are applied so take proper precautions.
Use organic pesticides to combat any infestation or seek advice from experts.
The average days for watermelon maturity start from 68 days to 92 days.
And average fruit sizes are 5-7, 12-15, 15-20, 20-26 Lbs.
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8. Watermelon Cultivation Business:Know the harvesting and storage period
To harvest your watermelon engage casual harvesters to pick the melons one at a time.
The job is laborious and will take several days to complete the task.
It takes multiple harvest periods because of the different periods of pollination.
Mature fruits may have dried tendril or yellowish spot on the surface around the base.
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9. Watermelon Cultivation Business:Know how to fund the business
Capital is a basic requirement for starting any business.
A watermelon business is no different.
However, capital is not the only requirement you need as there are also others.
Which must be put in place such as land, seedlings, fertilizer and labour.
From the above mentioned requirements, land is one of the most important.
However, getting one can be significantly costly.
If you have one already, you would have significantly reduced the costs of starting this business.
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10 Watermelon Cultivation Business:Knowing the Cultivation methods
There are several ways to cultivate watermelon.
However, it all depends on your soil condition.
It is important to note that when planting your watermelon seedlings,seedlings.
You should try as much as possible to avoid waterlogged areas.
This is because it does not thrive in such conditions.
Ridges are the best for commercial production of watermelon.
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Watermelon Cultivation Business
The depth of your seedlings should be about 30 centimeters.
While the space apart should be about a foot wide.
This allows for proper growth of the plants and easy spread.
If your farm has clay soil, then its water retention rate would be higher.
Therefore if you’ll be using irrigation.
You should water the plants once a week.
Loamy soils are the best for watermelon in rainy season.
11. Watermelon Cultivation Business:Fertilization.
When the fruits begin to set, it is time for fertilizer application.
The fertilizers should be applied to the base of the plant and be well distributed.
It is necessary to avoid touching a plant, otherwise it may be burned.
You can also take measures to prevent cucumber beetle, one of the few dangers for watermelons.
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12. Watermelon Cultivation Business: Know how to market the products
Sell your product to local retailers and market women.
Other sources are manufacturing companies and overseas companies.
Find wholesalers, auction sales, organic markets and stores.
Reach buyers through electronic and print media.
Use roadside stands, farmers markets and your own outlets.
Watermelon Cultivation Business
Exporting your product is very lucrative if you can secure a contract with foreign buyers.
It is very important that after having met all the above requirements.
You should have a highly efficient marketing structure in place.
This is to facilitate easy disposal of your products.
Without this in place, you will likely lose your investments as these fruits are highly perishable.
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Conclusion:
There is always high demand for it which is why you you should consider starting this business.
While being highly marketable and financially rewarding.
The start up costs for this business is significantly low.
Nevertheless, before you start your own business.
It is important to consider different options of lucrative business.
As well as benefits and challenges you might face.
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If you are not certain yet what to choose.
But look for the fast results with little investment, farming is a top option to consider.
Agriculture is one of the most successful fields for business nowadays with different variations of the main occupation.
For instance, watermelon farming provides huge potential for domestic sales and import.
This juicy fruit is loved all over the world.
While only some countries have appropriate climate conditions for growing sweet and big watermelons.
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