Source: http://biznessbuildup.com/how-to-start-the-production-of-charcoal/

Apart from the local consumption of charcoal, the international community is in dire need of charcoal so much that they (foreigners), do come to Nigeria in search of this commodity.

Guess what? There is still a huge need for this commodity because just like food, it is being consumed. Another fact that you should know is that, charcoal production is not difficult to start at all. So far you are ready to work, you are good to go.

What is involve in this business of charcoal production?

Acquisition of trees-

In the business of charcoal production, you will need trees to be cut down and burnt to produce the charcoal, how do you this?

All you have to do is to go into the rural areas in Nigeria, approach the village heads by introducing yourself and inform them on your mission to acquire trees in their forest, (yes, you will not just enter someone village and start cutting their trees) .

One good thing is that, most of these villagers are even ready to give you their trees free or at a very little price. they will even labourers who will cut down the trees and burn them.

Bagging, Marketing Exportation-

After you burning and chopping off the burnt trees into reasonable sizes, you will need to bag them, move them to your own space, from where you can start marketing them to local buyers and exporters. For your marketing tips, please make use of the internet to advertise or the mass media (newspaper).

Things You Should Take Note of-

1. Your charcoal should not be too small, it is preferable you cut them in big sizes.

2. Your target market should be the international market, this is where you will make it big

3. It is not a dirty business, as you will just supervise labourers to do the work for you.

4. You also need packaging and branding of this business so buyers will attribute a very high value for your product.

5. Register with the corporate Affairs Commission either as an enterprise/venture, Limited liability company.

Source: http://biznessbuildup.com/how-to-start-the-production-of-charcoal/

l am a conservationist, so l will pass on this. What are the re-forestation plans of communities where these charcoals are being produced?

Pavore9:
l am a conservationist, so l will pass on this. What are the re-forestation plans of communities where these charcoals are being produced?

When trees are cut down, they tend to grow back in due time, let us say less than ten years, so the entrepreneur will go for trees that are more than fifty years, the villagers will tell the entrepreneur about them.

Secondly, as part of giving back to the society, trees can be planted in the said forest by the entrepreneur once he establishes him/her self

castruccio:


When trees are cut down, they tend to grow back in due time, let us say less than ten years, so the entrepreneur will go for trees that are more than fifty years, the villagers will tell the entrepreneur about them.

Secondly, as part of giving back to the society, trees can be planted in the said forest by the entrepreneur once he establishes him/her self

There must be a purposed effort towards re-forestation, not leaving it to the whims of the locals. Let us be realistic, re-forestation is not in the DNA of the average Nigerian, we consume and ignore replenishing. l shuddered when l saw some empty-minded folks in a community in the North where desertification is already an issue, were cutting the little trees they had to produce charcoal!

Pavore9:


There must be a purposed effort towards re-forestation, not leaving it to the whims of the locals. Let us be realistic, re-forestation is not in the DNA of the average Nigerian, we consume and ignore replenishing. l shuddered when l saw some empty-minded folks in a community in the North where desertification is already an issue, were cutting the little trees they had to produce charcoal!

lolzz... .. its true an average Nigerian is not concerned about his environment but i think if the Nigerian entrepreneur is enlightened and sees the pressing need for re-forestation, then there will be little or no problem

castruccio:


lolzz... .. its true an average Nigerian is not concerned about his environment but i think if the Nigerian entrepreneur is enlightened and sees the pressing need for re-forestation, then there will be little or no problem

l am glad you used the word IF, the average Nigerian entrepreneur do not bother his or herself with the long term view regarding environmental sustainability, na oyinbo man headache. Let us use Lagos as an example, assuming Lagos is state that has lots of trees, the average entrepreneur after having depleted the trees in Surulere, would move to Ikeja and after Ikeja is Ikorodu and the movement continues He feels no guilt by justifying that he paid the locals for the trees and how many locals are that conscious with re-forestation?

Pavore9:


l am glad you used the word IF, the average Nigerian entrepreneur do not bother his or herself with the long term view regarding environmental sustainability, na oyinbo man headache. Let us use Lagos as an example, assuming Lagos is state that has lots of trees, the average entrepreneur after having depleted the trees in Surulere, would move to Ikeja and after Ikeja is Ikorodu and the movement continues He feels no guilt by justifying that he paid the locals for the trees and how many locals are that conscious with re-forestation?

Yea i think the only way this can be stopped is through government STRICT policy on re - forestation and attach a penalty for defaulters because the average Nigerian likes to be treated in a dictatorial-democratic way,