Kenaf (Hibiscus Cannabinus L.) Is a short duration annual herbaceous multipurpose plant. It is the most valuable hard industrial fibre crop after cotton.

Here is a plant that grows 1ft per week and can grow as high as 20ft in a one season. This is a plant whose biomass yield is 3 to 4 times that of trees that are required to grow for 5 to 40 years before they are matured for harvest. This plant will produce enough biomass from 50 acres to feed a biomass power plant for a year. This plant stores water like a camel and does not necessarily need irrigation, this plant has a high protein content of about 30% and the leaves can be eaten as early as 10 days after planting, a plant that the seed can be grounded for food.

Kenaf has a single, straight, un-branched stem consisting of 2 fibre parts, the outer bast fibre (35% of stalk dry weight) and the inner core fibre (65% of the stalks dry weight ).

This plant is applicable to many industries. It's leaves and stems have potential as livestock feed because of its high protein content. Retted and processed kenaf fibre is used to manufacture twine, cordage, rope and the very important AGRO SACK, and Hessian cloth as an alternative to jute fibre, and hemp. Production of shopping bags, school bags, wine bags, ladies bags and alternative to plastic bags are some of its application. This plant is applicable in the production of judges and barristers wigs

Pulp and paper industry prefers kenaf as a raw material. Newspapers produced with this products retained their prints for over a century and still counting.

Woven Kenaf Mesh have potential application in highway engineering/soil erosion control and design of POP for building decoration.

One of the most important application is in oil and gas industry as an absorbent for cleaning up oil spills from sea water. Do you know that Kenaf will first absorb oil before taking up water? Also used as coolant in drilling and mining.

This product is used in the automotive industry in the production of brake pads, dash boards, door panels, car bumpers, transmission shelves etc.

So also we have kenaf application in construction and housing industries and food/non-food packaging industries

Kenaf holds the potential to move a man out of abject poverty in 5months.

Join me as I provide more insight to this most profitable plant in the coming days as we prepare for next production season (2019)

ThisIsBaobab

Do we have the seed in Nigeria? Do we already produce this and Nigeria and what do we use it for? Where is it produced?

mfm04622:
Do we have the seed in Nigeria? Do we already produce this and Nigeria and what do we use it for? Where is it produced?

Yes. The seed is available in Nigeria. I mentioned a few of the uses in my write up above.

It is produced with abundant harvest in about 22 states in Nigeria with Ogun State currently taking the lead. Meanwhile, Ekiti and Ondo States have the best soil for the product from various research report.

baobab1:


Yes. The seed is available in Nigeria. I mentioned a few of the uses in my write up above.

It is produced with abundant harvest in about 22 states in Nigeria with Ogun State currently taking the lead. Meanwhile, Ekiti and Ondo States have the best soil for the product from various research report.

What do we use it for in Nigeria?

Thanks

mfm04622:


What do we use it for in Nigeria?

Thanks

We use it majorly for AgroSack and export market is available.
We have 5 manufacturers of AgroSack in the country today who depend completely on imported fibre for this purpose.

There is an ongoing research on kenaf at the institute of agricultural research and training, moor plantation apata ibadan oyo state. You can get seeds from there

baobab1:


We use it majorly for AgroSack and export market is available.
We have 5 manufacturers of AgroSack in the country today who depend completely on imported fibre for this purpose.

I sent you a pm... please reply

Ayokunleayoolashakirudeen:

I sent you a pm... please reply

I have replied.

Kenaf grows so fast that in 75days you can begin to harvest for fibre and in 4 months you can harvest for seeds and still earn very good returns from the stem.

Four major products make up kenaf and they are often cultivated for these reasons.1. Bast fibre ( that is the peel, or bark) 2. Core fibre ( the inner wood) 3. Seed. And 4. The leaves majorly for animal nutrition it contains over 30% plant protein.

Kenaf production can not be done on a subsistence level. Hence most time it is produced by cooperatives. An individual that can make capital available can do it alone and make good returns.

Before you commence Kenaf production you must secure the buyer because it is not a product to be sold in the market place. The buyers are all over the world looking for who will help produce for them.

Major problem with Kenaf is fungi. You must treat your seed with fungicide and the land as well to avoid infestation. Kenaf will do very well in Nigeria as we already have a ready market.

One of the reasons for the slow development of the product in Nigeria is because the machinery for planting , harvesting and processing are not readily available. The association in charge has been relying on government for intervention and help from government though assuredly it would come but when, how long shall we wait? I made enquiry and realized that normal planters can plant while harvesting can be done manually for now. The Kenaf decorticator for fibre production cost like N 2million. With a proper planning and execution one can start this profitable business with less than N10million and make consistent progress within a year.

I will provide more insight as we prepare for 2019 production .

ThisIsBaobab

Since you mentioned kenaf, I've been studying alot about it. a crop that matures in 4 month, and has massive biomass production must definitely be infinitely useful. My head has been spinning with ideas. Can I know what it costs to get the seeds?
Also, how susceptible is the plant to pest and disease attack?

Ayokunleayoolashakirudeen:
Since you mentioned kenaf, I've been studying alot about it. a crop that matures in 4 month, and has massive biomass production must definitely be infinitely useful. My head has been spinning with ideas. Can I know what it costs to get the seeds?
Also, how susceptible is the plant to pest and disease attack?

The maturity days depends on what you are producing for, for fibre it takes 75days to mature and 4months if you are producing seed.
The seed is sold for N30,000 per 10kg bag from the adsociation. I hope the price comes down next year.
The plant is fairly hardy and does not really come down to any disease and the maturity period is quite short

@op, i hope u have secured ur market before u start planting next year

Thanks for the timely response. I'll PM you

Juliana7:
@op, i hope u have secured ur market before u start planting next year

Definitely it's the first step as kenaf is not a product to be sold in the open market. It is usually produced for specific customers.

In the next few write ups I will be listing what you need to know/have before you commence Kenaf farming. Some of the requirements are pivotal without which you MUST not even attempt to start so as to avoid discouragement and failure.

1. Your objective must be clear.
I am yet to see a farmer that is not passionate, but passion alone cannot sustain you for so long. Farming in commercial quantity, especially a product meant for industrial use cannot be approached as a hobby. It is a serious business, and in business the broad objective is to make profit. So in this kenaf farming let profit making be your guiding light as passion alone will fizzle out sooner or later.
Kenaf is a product with many applications, before you sow your seed be very clear about the purpose for planting. Are you planting for Feed production, bast fibre, core or seed. The purpose will determine how to plant, specie to be planted, for how long, even the machines to put in place and your expected cost of production.

Read more requirements in my next writeup.

ThisIsBaobab

Requirement no 2 before you plant.

Get a firm off take agreement:
whether you are planting to sell locally or for export, you must first sought out the market before you plant.You cannot eat Kenaf, the buyers are quite few, the application is much. If you plant Kenaf on a thousand hectares one single buyer can purchase all and still ask for more. But without a buyer do not plant.

More to come.

ThisIsBaobab

- Where are the off takers of Kenaf Product ? Not available
- Where are the processing plants ? Almost not existing,
- Fierce competition from synthetic fibre and jute bag imports is a major factor. It is cheaper to import jute bags from China, Malaysia India etc
-We dont have a national policy on Kenaf Development ...too bad
- Agricultural Policy Overlap, Inconsistencies and Reversals is a major factor - we all know the cassava bread story !
- Poor implementation of Agric policies for the few ones on ground.

Dis sector is as good as dead.... My 2 cents

Willie2015:
- Where are the off takers of Kenaf Product ? Not available
- Where are the processing plants ? Almost not existing,
- Fierce competition from synthetic fibre and jute bag imports is a major factor. It is cheaper to import jute bags from China, Malaysia India etc
-We dont have a national policy on Kenaf Development ...too bad
- Agricultural Policy Overlap, Inconsistencies and Reversals is a major factor - we all know the cassava bread story !
- Poor implementation of Agric policies for the few ones on ground.

Dis sector is as good as dead.... My 2 cents

Alot is going on in this sector at the moment. The sector was dead before because of the influx of synthetic bags in the 1960s. This led to the closure of 2 jute bag processing plants in the country.
Today, international communities have enforced the use of AgroSack (jute bag) because Agricultural products bagged with synthetic sacks loose their freshness and are badly affected.
A quick reactions to your opinions. The Kenaf table at the federal ministry of Agriculture has been resuscitated. IAR&T, FIRO, and Raw materials research institute are all actively involved in the current development in Kenaf. For the first time Nigeria made 500kg kenaf seed available for multiplication in 2017. This year the seeds have increased in quantity and available for farmers use.
With respect to off takers, we currently have jute bag manufacturers in the country who currently import fibre for their production. There is export market as well which is quite large and some people are already taking advantage of if.
Competition from synthetic fibre is no longer a problem because products like cocoa, cashew exported with synthetic fibre will be returned to the owner.
National policy on Kenaf is undergoing reviews but progress cannot wait till such come to being. Kenaf development is private sector driven because of its profitability. Nigeria is not an exemption, Kenaf Producers, processors and marketers Association of Nigeria started the promotion and government of Nigeria is doing so much to support the development.
Above all, the development of this product in Nigeria is just coming up and its end depends on us all.

Requirement 3 before you plant

Get yourself some required machineries or be sure that when you need them they will be available.
For instance you must have a planter, whether semi mechanical or completely automated planter. Semi mechanical is affordable and one can start with it. Get your boom sprayer ready. Ordinary mower can harvest kenaf, I prefer the back mounted type it makes the job neat - get your harvester ready.
If your interest is fibre production. Get your decorticator ready and your retting tanks. Don't dare start without them no matter how passionate you are same goes for seed and core production.

More to come.

ThisIsBaobab

Requirement 4, get ready your inputs.

Inputs here refers to fertilizer, seed , herbicides and insecticides. In fact before you pick up your seed you must settle your fertilizer and pre-emergence herbicide supplier. This is because you can't afford to waste time and money weeding kenaf. Once you get the population and spacing right and you apply your herbicide immediately after planting you will not need to weed.

Keep following as we prepare for first massive planting of kenaf in Nigeria by 2019.

ThisIsBaobab

baobab1:
Kenaf (Hibiscus Cannabinus L.) Is a short duration annual herbaceous multipurpose plant. It is the most valuable hard industrial fibre crop after cotton.

Here is a plant that grows 1ft per week and can grow as high as 20ft in a one season. This is a plant whose biomass yield is 3 to 4 times that of trees that are required to grow for 5 to 40 years before they are matured for harvest. This plant will produce enough biomass from 50 acres to feed a biomass power plant for a year. This plant stores water like a camel and does not necessarily need irrigation, this plant has a high protein content of about 30% and the leaves can be eaten as early as 10 days after planting, a plant that the seed can be grounded for food.

Kenaf has a single, straight, un-branched stem consisting of 2 fibre parts, the outer bast fibre (35% of stalk dry weight) and the inner core fibre (65% of the stalks dry weight ).

This plant is applicable to many industries. It's leaves and stems have potential as livestock feed because of its high protein content. Retted and processed kenaf fibre is used to manufacture twine, cordage, rope and the very important AGRO SACK, and Hessian cloth as an alternative to jute fibre, and hemp. Production of shopping bags, school bags, wine bags, ladies bags and alternative to plastic bags are some of its application. This plant is applicable in the production of judges and barristers wigs

Pulp and paper industry prefers kenaf as a raw material. Newspapers produced with this products retained their prints for over a century and still counting.

Woven Kenaf Mesh have potential application in highway engineering/soil erosion control and design of POP for building decoration.

One of the most important application is in oil and gas industry as an absorbent for cleaning up oil spills from sea water. Do you know that Kenaf will first absorb oil before taking up water? Also used as coolant in drilling and mining.

This product is used in the automotive industry in the production of brake pads, dash boards, door panels, car bumpers, transmission shelves etc.

So also we have kenaf application in construction and housing industries and food/non-food packaging industries

Kenaf holds the potential to move a man out of abject poverty in 5months.

Join me as I provide more insight to this most profitable plant in the coming days as we prepare for next production season (2019)

ThisIsBaobab

Let me tell you the gospel truth. Agribusiness cannot be profitable without exporting your agroproducts. Click on the link on my signature for more information on this.

hopevalley:

Let me tell you the gospel truth. Agribusiness cannot be profitable without exporting your agroproducts. Click on the link on my signature for more information on this.

The smell of dollar is good and the value is excellent but it will be unwise to sell your food while your children are dying of hunger

Requirement 5:

Retting Tank: This is the tank in which you will soak your fibre for 20days so as to get it softened and get fine fibre. The retting tank is not purpose built hence a used Jon leaking container can be used for this purpose.

Gradually we are getting close to raining season and would-be kenaf farmers should have identified the portion of land they want to cultivate. Note that your farm should be sited not far from where you can get water for some of your operations especially spraying, bathing and retting.

Keep awake as we are planning something for interested farmers in the coming months.

Happy new year people.

ThisIsBaobab

Still waiting for you in this new year

Hello sir, please I need your contact, thank you sir.

@baobab1 is this kenaf different from jute?

baobab1:
Requirement 5:

Retting Tank: This is the tank in which you will soak your fibre for 20days so as to get it softened and get fine fibre. The retting tank is not purpose built hence a used Jon leaking container can be used for this purpose.

Gradually we are getting close to raining season and would-be kenaf farmers should have identified the portion of land they want to cultivate. Note that your farm should be sited not far from where you can get water for some of your operations especially spraying, bathing and retting.

Keep awake as we are planning something for interested farmers in the coming months.

Happy new year people.

ThisIsBaobab

Rain has started and you haven't unveiled your plan for farmers as promised

Good morning,
Please where can one buy Kenaf Fibre. Your quick response will be appreciated

baobab1:
Kenaf (Hibiscus Cannabinus L.) Is a short duration annual herbaceous multipurpose plant. It is the most valuable hard industrial fibre crop after cotton.

Here is a plant that grows 1ft per week and can grow as high as 20ft in a one season. This is a plant whose biomass yield is 3 to 4 times that of trees that are required to grow for 5 to 40 years before they are matured for harvest. This plant will produce enough biomass from 50 acres to feed a biomass power plant for a year. This plant stores water like a camel and does not necessarily need irrigation, this plant has a high protein content of about 30% and the leaves can be eaten as early as 10 days after planting, a plant that the seed can be grounded for food.

Kenaf has a single, straight, un-branched stem consisting of 2 fibre parts, the outer bast fibre (35% of stalk dry weight) and the inner core fibre (65% of the stalks dry weight ).

This plant is applicable to many industries. It's leaves and stems have potential as livestock feed because of its high protein content. Retted and processed kenaf fibre is used to manufacture twine, cordage, rope and the very important AGRO SACK, and Hessian cloth as an alternative to jute fibre, and hemp. Production of shopping bags, school bags, wine bags, ladies bags and alternative to plastic bags are some of its application. This plant is applicable in the production of judges and barristers wigs

Pulp and paper industry prefers kenaf as a raw material. Newspapers produced with this products retained their prints for over a century and still counting.

Woven Kenaf Mesh have potential application in highway engineering/soil erosion control and design of POP for building decoration.

One of the most important application is in oil and gas industry as an absorbent for cleaning up oil spills from sea water. Do you know that Kenaf will first absorb oil before taking up water? Also used as coolant in drilling and mining.

This product is used in the automotive industry in the production of brake pads, dash boards, door panels, car bumpers, transmission shelves etc.

So also we have kenaf application in construction and housing industries and food/non-food packaging industries

Kenaf holds the potential to move a man out of abject poverty in 5months.

Join me as I provide more insight to this most profitable plant in the coming days as we prepare for next production season (2019)

ThisIsBaobab

Thanks for these exposure. Can u enlighten us on cost analysis and cost benefits on kenaf