Plantain is an important food and cash crop (Nkendah&Akyeampong, 2003; Nwosu&Lawal, 2010) with outstanding and proven medical and industrial relevance (Faturoti, Madukwe, Tenkouano&Agwu, 2007).
Which country is the highest producer of plantain in West Africa?
Ghana
Plantain Production in West Africa
It is evident from the Figure 1 that Ghana is the largest producer of plantain in West Africa with about 3.95 million metric tons in 2016 contributing about 13.1% to the agricultural Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
Which state is the largest producer of plantain in Nigeria?
This study examined the status of plantain production in Ondo State being one of the major producer states in Nigeria. The list of all plantain producers was obtained from six purposively selected L.G. As based on intensity of plantain production and 50% of them were sampled making a total of 276 respondents.
Where is plantain mostly grown?
Cameroon is leading the plantain production with 4.3 million tons, followed by Ghana (just under 4 million tons), Uganda (3.7 mio tons), Colombia (3.5 mio. tons) and Nigeria (3.1 mio tons). Philippines, Peru, Ivory Coast, Myanmar and Democratic Republic of Congo complete the top 10.
Which country is the largest producer of plantain in the world?
Cameroon
Cameroon. Cameroon is the world’s largest producer of plantains. The country exports approximately 4.31 million tons of plantains yearly. They are largely produced in the southern and western part of Cameroon.
How many times does plantain produce in a year?
Each grown up plant would produce a minimum of three suckers, and if he could harvest one sucker from each and could sell at N100, the farmer would make additional N150,000. The harvest cycles continue for a minimum of four to six years, or more, depending on land rejuvenation system and farm maintenance practices.
What country eats plantains the most?
The countries with the highest volumes of plantain consumption in 2018 were Democratic Republic of the Congo (5.5M tonnes), Cameroon (4.8M tonnes) and Ghana (4.1M tonnes), together comprising 59% of total consumption.
Is plantain a permanent crop?
Banana and plantain are perennial crops that take the appearance of trees as they mature. Diverse cultivars are grown. Musa are believed to have originated in Southeast Asia but their introduction into Africa is unclear.
Does Nigeria Export plantain?
According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), Nigeria ranks as one of the largest plantain producing countries in the world. But despite its prominence, the country does not feature among plantain exporting nations because it produces more for local consumption than for export.
How profitable is banana farming in Nigeria?
As a banana farmer you can be making five hundred thousand naira (N500,000) or more on a monthly basis just from your banana and plantain plantation if you place it in a commercial standard level.
How many months does a plantain mature?
Plantain takes about 8 months to start to yield and about 3 months to mature. That’s to say, it takes about a year to have the first harvest from the planting date.
How long does a plantain tree take to grow?
Plantains come from the tropics, where they can grow almost year-round and flower and fruit at any time. In these conditions, they can bear fruit in as little as nine to twelve months after planting.
What country eats plantains?
CENTRAL AMERICA & CARIBBEAN
In countries in Central America and the Caribbean, such as Cuba, Dominica, the Dominican Republic, Trinidad and Tobago, Panama, Puerto Rico, Haiti and Jamaica, the plantain is either simply fried, boiled or made into plantain soup.
How many plantain can I plant per hectare?
1600 plantains
Establishment of orchards at 1600 plantains per hectare with two suckers maintained per rootstock in subsequent cycles produced consistently good quality marketable fingers and sustained high yield.
What crop can be planted with plantain?
Intercropping of plantains with food crops : maize, cassava and cocoyams.
Where does America get its bananas?
The main suppliers of bananas to the US market are Guatemala, Ecuador, Costa Rica, Colombia, and Honduras. In 2010, these five countries shipped an estimated 3.9 mmt of fresh bananas to the United States, accounting for 94 percent of total US banana imports (Table 1; Figure 7).
How profitable is plantain farming?
Is plantain cultivation really profitable? In the open market, a bunch of plantain costs about N750 to N2,000 if you are selling to the final consumers directly without processing it. On one acre of land you can plant 750 plantain suckers and you sell them at an average of N1,000 per bunch then you will makeN750,000.
How much does it cost to start a plantain plantation?
Investment Returns
| INVESTMENT PACKAGE | INITIAL INVESTMENT | RETURN ON INVESTMENT (Calculated on your net profit) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 HECTARE PLANTAIN PLANTATION | 2,376,482.00 | 35% |
| 1 ACRE PLANTAIN PLANTATION | 1,092,368.20 | 29% |
Why are plantains so cheap?
Exposed to agro-chemicals and intense heat, plantation workers are usually in the field ten to 12 hours a day, six days a week, and still aren’t paid a living wage—to do so would increase the price of fruit that, despite traveling thousands of miles to the US, continues to be sold more cheaply than locally grown apples
Can you eat plantains raw?
Ripe plantains are sweet like a banana, without the banana flavor. They can be eaten raw but are best when fried. The edges caramelize and become crispy like the edges of pancakes cooked in butter.
What is a fried banana called?
Tostones are crispy fried plantains. A plantain is a very firm banana. Serve as a side dish with your meal or as an appetizer.
Elvira Bowen is a food expert who has dedicated her life to understanding the science of cooking. She has worked in some of the world’s most prestigious kitchens, and has published several cookbooks that have become bestsellers. Elvira is known for her creative approach to cuisine, and her passion for teaching others about the culinary arts.