@all.

I've got something on my mind today. Its giving me concern alot. Its marketing our farm produce. Imagine after the stress one goes through in dry season farming with irrigation and your cucumber gets to Mile 12, Lagos and it can only command N2500 per bag as at 3 days ago.

Here are my questions:
1. I thought the price goes really up between february and april. So what happened at this time?
2. When is the peak of harvest of dry season cucumber and water melon from the north?
3. When is it that the supply from the north is lowest in our south west markets?

Is it that we in the south west do not have comparative advantage of producing the curcumbits?

Lets reason the timing of dry season planting and harvesting in the north together with the view of determining when best our product will command high value. I mean when the northerners' curcumbits will be fewer in the market.

saliubello:
@all.
I've got something on my mind today. Its giving me concern alot. Its marketing our farm produce. Imagine after the stress one goes through in dry season farming with irrigation and your cucumber gets to Mile 12, Lagos and it can only command N2500 per bag as at 3 days ago.
Here are my questions:
1. I thought the price goes really up between february and april. So what happened at this time?
2. When is the peak of harvest of dry season cucumber and water melon from the north?
3. When is it that the supply from the north is lowest in our south west markets?
Is it that we in the south west do not have comparative advantage of producing the curcumbits?
Lets reason the timing of dry season planting and harvesting in the north together with the view of determining when best our product will command high value. I mean when the northerners' curcumbits will be fewer in the market.

We all target Mile 12 as our market. There are lot of market which we can diversify into. Must we drop it in Mile 12 market?. People travel far to pick produce from Mile 12. Why not intensify the marketing strategy. The unemployed can do the marketing and have their commissions. Farmers group can create alternative market which has a cold store for fresh produce. We have got to work collectivelly. The market is there for all to access if we choose to work together. There are markets that requires consistence supply and quality production. How many are willing to go the extra mile?

As regard dry season farming. The northerners have access to water system created by their government. This enable them produces almost throughout the year. We need to upgrade our production to access good market.

I Luv farmers with attitude( FWA )

hello jasper I lyk ur post, can we discus business? ralphdiong01@gmail.com, send me ur phone no: or email add let's talk thanks. u r doing a great job

diong10:
hello jasper I lyk ur post, can we discus business? ralphdiong01@gmail.com, send me ur phone no: or email add let's talk thanks. u r doing a great job

whatsapp: 08097273034
email: jasperchidera@yahoo.com

saliubello:
@all.

I've got something on my mind today. Its giving me concern alot. Its marketing our farm produce. Imagine after the stress one goes through in dry season farming with irrigation and your cucumber gets to Mile 12, Lagos and it can only command N2500 per bag as at 3 days ago.

Here are my questions:
1. I thought the price goes really up between february and april. So what happened at this time?
2. When is the peak of harvest of dry season cucumber and water melon from the north?
3. When is it that the supply from the north is lowest in our south west markets?

Is it that we in the south west do not have comparative advantage of producing the curcumbits?

Lets reason the timing of dry season planting and harvesting in the north together with the view of determining when best our product will command high value. I mean when the northerners' curcumbits will be fewer in the market.

:

My basic interpretation is:

They are setting the prices based on the margin acceptable to them but why should you be bound by the prices they set?
I am not 100pcnt conversant with the dynamics but using basic economics the Northerner with a farm 10hours away from mile12 shouldn't have the same cost base as you with a farm probably 5/4 hours away- the logistics of getting his produce to mile 12 alone should be higher and there probably, lies your own competitive advantage.
But if you cost base is the same as a competitor with such a huge logistical disadvantage then you may need to have a look at your cost structure with the ultimate aim of setting your own prices - which I think should be lower.




I assume: they up-north do not get subsidy, you probably have the same level of expertise and you can compete on volume .

In my opinion, mile 12 should be a farmer's last option because that place requires little or no standards at all. If you don't have high quality produce, maybe it's fine but whoever has high quality produce should think of getting it to consumers who require that value. It's not a walk in the park but it can be done. Like several people on here have said, the second most important part of farming is marketing. If you pay more attention to it, there will be tremendous benefits.
A collaboration of forward thinking farmers can come together skip a step or two in the value chain. You realise that the prices at which consumers get these vegetables are much higher than what the farmer sells for. How about we find a way to side step the opportunists (the mile12 sellers especially) and create a somewhat standard and decent market.
Bottom line, a new market has to be created.

Another batch of harvest ready for the market again tonight! 50 bags this time. I'll keep you guys posted. We're advised to go through a member of the vegetable and fruits grower association from our area.
The target this time is to take advantage of the brief election holiday so that before the shipments from the North start arriving, we can make brisk money at a fairly higher price.

saliubello:
Another batch of harvest ready for the market again tonight! 50 bags this time. I'll keep you guys posted. We're advised to go through a member of the vegetable and fruits grower association from our area.
The target this time is to take advantage of the brief election holiday so that before the shipments from the North start arriving, we can make brisk money at a fairly higher price.

Nice one

Hello Jasper,
How does you hydraflo work, does it get water direct from the ground like submersible pumps or do you need to fill up a tank b/4 using the hydraflo to irrigate the farm?

Please expecting your useful reply. Thanks.

MoneyMerchant:
Hello Jasper,
How does you hydraflo work, does it get water direct from the ground like submersible pumps or do you need to fill up a tank b/4 using the hydraflo to irrigate the farm?

Please expecting your useful reply. Thanks.

Working with that hydraflo have been a challenge to the team in the farm. It takes water from reserves like Dams, rivers, streams and all that. Not from overhead tanks

Somebody HELP!! Aboki rejected our cucumber yesterday at the sabo vegetable market in Ibadan. What was their problem? they said the cucumber is too big. They said it taste good but it is too big.

I had received this sort of call from the team in Ibadan twice, and I decided to visit the farm in Ibadan to see exactly what the problem was.

We went to the Sabo market, The mallam just kept complaining how they suffered to get the light green watermelon into the market, to displace the dark green one. And after so much trial and "suffering", they succeeded. But now, all around the country, all people want to eat is the light green watermelon. Nobody wants the dark green one.

In few seconds, I began to see what we have done wrong and it became clear to me. We have been putting effort in the wrong direction. Want to know more? I'll be back to complete my story.

Babalagzy:
In my opinion, mile 12 should be a farmer's last option because that place requires little or no standards at all. If you don't have high quality produce, maybe it's fine but whoever has high quality produce should think of getting it to consumers who require that value. It's not a walk in the park but it can be done. Like several people on here have said, the second most important part of farming is marketing. If you pay more attention to it, there will be tremendous benefits.
A collaboration of forward thinking farmers can come together skip a step or two in the value chain. You realise that the prices at which consumers get these vegetables are much higher than what the farmer sells for. How about we find a way to side step the opportunists (the mile12 sellers especially) and create a somewhat standard and decent market.
Bottom line, a new market has to be created.

Thanks for the contribution

jasper7:
Somebody HELP!! Aboki rejected our cucumber yesterday at the sabo vegetable market in Ibadan. What was their problem? they said the cucumber is too big. They said it taste good but it is too big.

I had received this sort of call from the team in Ibadan twice, and I decided to visit the farm in Ibadan to see exactly what the problem was.

We went to the Sabo market, The mallam just kept complaining how they suffered to get the light green watermelon into the market, to displace the dark green one. And after so much trial and "suffering", they succeeded. But now, all around the country, all people want to eat is the light green watermelon. Nobody wants the dark green one.

In few seconds, I began to see what we have done wrong and it became clear to me. We have been putting effort in the wrong direction. Want to know more? I'll be back to complete my story.

That was what l was discussing with a fellow Nigerian here in Nairobi recently as she was sceptical about having the market in Nigeria for certain veggies which Nigerians see as foreign crops. She wants to go into the cultivation of kale, cauliflower, broccoli and yellow capsicum. l told her not to be scared, that Nigerians will embrace them as our population alone is far more than that of the entire East Africa.

jasper7:
Why have we decided that every thing fresh food in Nigeria must be sold in dirty environment. The dirtiest places in Nigeria are not our Refuse dumps. but our fresh food market, from our slaughter slabs, to meat market to vegetable market and the rest of them. Are all very dirty. And the most pathetic part of it is that we the consumers are left with no choice that to take it as we see it.

Well, am looking to change that, I believe with the large consumer market Nigeria has, we should not be restricted to only one variety of crops or conditions.

I think a consumer should have a full description of what he or she is about to buy. And choose the one that is closest to the specifics he requires.

For example, a consumer has to know what specie of vegetable he's buying, under what conditions the vegetables were stored or produced, the chemical residue percentage of the product, the practise used in producing the crops (organic, inorganic, synthetic).

These and more are what we are looking to expose our people to and offer to them at still the best prices. You'd be able to order your weekly vegetable supply online and have it delivered to you at home.

These and more are the things we plan to offer in the farm being developed now

I am looking to changing the game. And by the special grace of God, we will.

Take me along boss. I will surely be part and play a commendable role in actualising the change.

jasper7:
Somebody HELP!! Aboki rejected our cucumber yesterday at the sabo vegetable market in Ibadan. What was their problem? they said the cucumber is too big. They said it taste good but it is too big.

I had received this sort of call from the team in Ibadan twice, and I decided to visit the farm in Ibadan to see exactly what the problem was.

We went to the Sabo market, The mallam just kept complaining how they suffered to get the light green watermelon into the market, to displace the dark green one. And after so much trial and "suffering", they succeeded. But now, all around the country, all people want to eat is the light green watermelon. Nobody wants the dark green one.

In few seconds, I began to see what we have done wrong and it became clear to me. We have been putting effort in the wrong direction. Want to know more? I'll be back to complete my story.

@jasper7, pls, am growing sugar baby variety of watermelon. it is the dark green one. what are the chances of marketing my watermelon when it is ready? pls useful tips

Pavore9:


That was what l was discussing with a fellow Nigerian here in Nairobi recently as she was sceptical about having the market in Nigeria for certain veggies which Nigerians see as foreign crops. She wants to go into the cultivation of kale, cauliflower, broccoli and yellow capsicum. l told her not to be scared, that Nigerians will embrace them as our population alone is far more than that of the entire East Africa.

Exactly! our people are not aggressive marketers. we love to plant where others have ploughed, nobody wants to break new grounds.

OLAMIMO12:

@jasper7, pls, am growing sugar baby variety of watermelon. it is the dark green one. what are the chances of marketing my watermelon when it is ready? pls useful tips

I have 3 marketing groups that want to market my watermelon. In fact, the smallest of the companies said they'll buy a minimum of 6k balls a week. Sugar baby is a good variety, can you supply 6k balls a week?

okay, back to my story, I saw in few seconds what we have been doing wrong.

We farmers, have been marketing to the marketer, which is wrong. Every form of marketing has to be to the end user.

If I plant cherry tomatoes for instance, I know cherry tomatoes can not be used to make stew. It's sweet and when I mean sweet, I mean tastes sugary. it's very small in size and very red and is eaten like strawberry, blueberry, grape e.t.c

Should I take such exotic product to mile12 and expect the mallam that distributes tomatoes to buy it from me? NO.

Why? The only people that buy tomatoes from oga mallam are those who use it for stew.

so what do I do? by the time I plant the tomatoes and it starts flowering, I can go to a printing press, print a flyer that talks about the benefits of cherry tomatoes, and why cherry tomatoes should be eaten everyday. There are alot of unique health values to almost every vegetable. Spend money and run massive campaign for 2 weeks. people will silently be asking their tomatoes retail outlet for cherry tomatoes and the retail outlets will start asking their distributors (oga mallam).

Oga mallam gets worried because he can't give what he doesn't have. He starts sweating and starts calling farmers to ask if they have it. Nobody does, at least for the next 4-5months.

Guess who just harvested his first cherry tomatoes and ready to supply? Me! The printer of the posters. The originator of the wahala. .

So, I just step into the market and solve the problem I caused. . count my money and move away.

and the beauty is that before other farmers start planting it, I would have made all the money and necessary supply contacts.

so, I gave the team in Ibadan a little marketing assignment after their complaint an assignmemt we did together since I am available in Ibadan.

We took a bag of the cucumber and supplied it to retail outlets. We gave them samples for free, told them to sell and give us feedback. Do you know that before we could go round and come back, all the retail outlets we dropped the cucumber had sold it up and they were asking for our numbers for consistent supply.

Just one experiment. We didn't have enough samples to cover all retail outlets, and that was our only regret.

If your product is good and attractive, people will buy.

The producers knows good products because he is the one that made it. The consumers know too, because they are the ones who consume, but the marketers don't know and don't care. All they want is products that is hot cake. In the equation of quality and demand, the marketer plays the least role.

jasper7:

I have 3 marketing groups that want to market my watermelon. In fact, the smallest of the companies said they'll buy a minimum of 6k balls a week. Sugar baby is a good variety, can you supply 6k balls a week?

Boss........am a first time farmer. i grow only one acre of land. both cucumber and watermelon. Boss lets talk on phone pls. i will call you. tnx

I'm loving this thread, weldone Jasper

Jasper you're really great. Forge ahead.

jasper7:
so, I gave the team in Ibadan a little marketing assignment after their complaint an assignmemt we did together since I am available in Ibadan.

We took a bag of the cucumber and supplied it to retail outlets. We gave them samples for free, told them to sell and give us feedback. Do you know that before we could go round and come back, all the retail outlets we dropped the cucumber had sold it up and they were asking for our numbers for consistent supply.

Just one experiment. We didn't have enough samples to cover all retail outlets, and that was our only regret.

If your product is good and attractive, people will buy.

The producers knows good products because he is the one that made it. The consumers know too, because they are the ones who consume, but the marketers don't know and don't care. All they want is products that is hot cake. In the equation of quality and demand, the marketer plays the least role.

What an inspiration. God bless you all

FarmTech:
Jasper you're really great. Forge ahead.

I see you boss

Happy Easter to you all. Today, I'll like to talk a bit on building a Business Empire in Nigeria. I just want to run through 2 very interesting Entrepreneurs. 1. Akin Alabi 2. Jason Njoku. These 2 young men are building the future today. You'll find out the difference between the poor and the Super Rich is just one good or bad decision. It could be a decision where or when or how or even if to sell or buy. Or it could be one meeting attended or one phone call made or even one project executed.

My decision and prayer has always been that I will not make a bad decision that will take the Super away from my Rich or even bring me down to poverty.

I'll come back to talk about Jason and Akin but before then, let me drop a food for thought.
"your today's poverty was your yesterday's wealth"

"your today's poverty was your yesterday's wealth".

Jason Njoku is one entrepreneur that inspires me alot. He transformed a stagnant industry in Nigeria to a multi million dollar industry. Incase you don't know him, he is the CEO of Iroko Partners, owners of irokotv and Iroking.

I have been privileged to chat up with him. And I asked him just one question. "Do you think you are the first Nigerian to think of an online paytv that shows Nollywood movies?". He looked down thought deep and replied "No".

That got me thinking. What happened to the lot of the other guys who must have thought of their own irokotv? and never got to establish or execute the project?

Let's critically analyse irokotv and let's see who on earth will want to start such a business in Nigeria.

Irokotv is an online movie viewing store.
members subscribe monthly, quarterly or yearly.
They are to watch the movies online
They are to pay the subscription fee online
Irokotv bought exclusive License to air most Nigerian movies online via the producers

That's just a brief roundup of the services offered by irokotv.
1. Looking at it, why would someone ever want to go into a business that requires Nigerians using the internet to see movies? Do you know how long it takes a 5minute video to buffer with our Local Networks. Internet issues alone is enough reason to make anyone have a rethink.

2. How will someone break the alaba cabal? Can someone really get exclusive rights to Nigerian movies. Won't the alaba cabal frustrate him out of business?

3. How will someone handle the issue of online payment. believe it or not, this was an issue in 2009.

4. Why would someone go through all the stress to see a Nigerian movie. When he can get a pirated copy for N150 in alaba?

okay, I think the alaba cabal is like the mile12 cabal we talked about.

Jason conquered all, Firstly he discovered that only 2% of his subscribers Lived in Nigeria. This taught me a big lesson in business. Most times your target costumers don't necessarily end up your biggest costumers. You can be planting for Mile12 and end up selling in Agbara or iyana ipaja. Dont confine yourself to your target market, spread your reach, you will be shocked by the people who desperately need your product.

Secondly, in dealing with cabals, inner caucus, secret circle, whatever you deem fit. The best way to deal with them is by exploiting on their greed (learnt that too from Jason).
For example, Let's say as I am planting cucumber, maybe, I am expecting a 40tonne a day harvest, and I know that mile12 consumes about that number everyday. These guys are marketers, for me to sell my 40tonnes I need to have exclusive cucumber right in mile 12. So what do I do? I set a meeting with all the cucumber marketers in mile12. I know they buy at 2500 a bag and sell at 4000. I'll make tell them I have business for them. I'll supply at 2000 to them, so that they can sell at 4000. Also, they should not pay me, I'll take whatever is left when I return. and collect the money for the bags sold. If the marketer sees he'll make more money from selling my cucumber, which one do you think he'll convince his costumers to go for? Mine or the one from his other suppliers?

Like I have always stressed, The marketer is only interested in his profit ability. No sentiments, No friends. If you don't understand this basic rule of marketing, then you have lost before you even started.

Will I sell at 2000 forever? or will I keep supplying on credit? No! What I need at that time which is the most important part of product sales is costumer acceptance. Once my products is accepted and appreciated by the consumer, I can begin to swing the price, gradually. After costumer acceptance the next step is costumer demand. Once your product is in high demand, then and only then can you start to play with the feelings of the Marketer

Let's continue, Jason Njoku did such a great job with Itokotv, so good that he got a total investment of 13 million dollars. That was about 2 billion Naira. With that, he was able to do alot, change a lot.

But take note, that was not his start up capital. My little experience with cucumber farming has taught me that, If you do what you are doing right, and mantain a high level of integrity, people, banks and corporations will be comfortable investing in your business.

Now alot of people have seen that running an online paytv is possible and they have opened theirs. because somebody has conquered all.

My question is, Can they ever be as big as or bigger than Jason Njoku's Irokotv? The answer is Never! Unless of course they bring in a new innovation or idea. they'll always play catch up to Irokotv.

So... Jason, Thank you for teaching me a lot about start ups in Nigeria through Irokotv. I hope we meet soon. Because I'll love to ask you some more questions.

Great lesson learnt there!!.. ILOVEYOU already @jasper!.. Am waiting 4 akin alabi u talking about..... The naira bet owner?