Plantains do not have a growing season and are, therefore, available year-round, especially on irrigated farmland. This makes them a reliable food source.
Which month plantain is best in Nigeria?
September
September is the best month to plant plantain in Nigeria.
What is the best season to plant plantain?
It is better to plant the plantains in the time of rainy season. The plant should grow without stress and vigorously during the first 3 to 4 months after planting, so don’t plant it during the last months of the rainy season. Many farmers plant the plantain with the beginning of rains.
How long do plantain take to grow?
This plant grows from an underground rhizome reaching 12 to 15 feet tall with huge leaves, which wrap around the trunk. To obtain fruit, this tree needs 10 to 15 months without freezing temperatures to produce flowers and another four to eight months to grow plantains, according to California Rare Fruit Growers.
When can plantain be harvested?
The harvest is carried out manually around 3 to 4 months after flowering, and continues throughout the year. Bunches will keep for between 15 and 30 days, depending on when they are harvested. Since plantain bananas are fragile, sensitive to shocks and changes in temperature, they must be transported with care.
Does plantain have season?
Plantains do not have a growing season and are, therefore, available year-round, especially on irrigated farmland. This makes them a reliable food source.
Where is plantain grown in Nigeria?
Plantain production is mainly in the Southern states of Nigeria, which include Akwa-Ibom, Cross River, Akwa-Ibom, Imo, Enugu, Rivers, Edo, Delta, Lagos, Ogun, Osun and Oyo states (Ogazi, 1996). Maturity standards for plantains are less precise than they are for bananas.
How long does a plantain tree live?
However, a plantation can grow for 25 years or more if managed properly. The trees can reach heights between 2 and 9 m (6.6–29.5 ft).
Which fertilizer is best for plantain?
Potassium fertiliser can be mixed with water and sprayed to the leaves and stems of the plantain plants. Plants make use of fertilisers quicker when applied on the leaves. However, the leaves can get scorched easily if the fertiliser is over applied.
How do you make plantains grow faster?
Full sun is ideal, but shade has its benefits too. Plantains grow fastest and produce the most fruit in full sun.
How long does it take plantain to bear fruits?
Flowering takes 10-15 months of mild temperatures and yet another 4-8 months to fruit. Flowers are produced from the pseudostem and develop into a cluster of hanging fruit.
What are plantain leaves used for?
Plantain has long been considered by herbalists to be a useful remedy for cough , wounds , inflamed skin or dermatitis, and insect bites. Bruised or crushed leaves have been applied topically to treat insect bites and stings, eczema , and small wounds or cuts.
Do bananas and plantains grow on the same tree?
It should come as no surprise to hear that plantain trees and banana trees are related. They grow in remarkably similar ways, but they are considered different species from one another. For example, the plantain tree is classified as Musa balbisiana, while the banana tree is classified as Musa acuminata.
Where is plantain mostly grown?
Cameroon
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).
Where is plantain originally from?
Southeast Asia
Like bananas, plantains are originally from Southeast Asia. However, they are now grown all over the world, including in India, Egypt, Indonesia, and tropical regions of the Americas. Plantains are usually larger and tougher than bananas, with much thicker skin.
How profitable is plantain farming in Nigeria?
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 can I start plantain business in Nigeria?
What You Need To Start Plantain Farming
- Land With Good Soil. Loamy soils are the best producing soils for plantain farming because they contain a good organic to inorganic ratio.
- Prepare The Soil.
- Get The Plantain Suckers.
- Control The Weeds.
How do plantains grow in Nigeria?
The sucker is placed in the hole and its corm is covered, first with the topsoil and then with the bottom soil. In the plant hole, the side of the sucker corm which was formerly attached to the corm of its mother plant is placed against the wall of the hole. Plantains can be planted throughout the rainy season.
Are plantain bananas?
A plantain is actually a type of banana, but with a different flavor and culinary use. Like bananas they are originally from Southeast Asia, but they’re grown all over the world today. They tend to be larger in size than bananas, and have a thicker skin. Plantains are also starchier and lower in sugar than bananas.
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.
PLANTAIN PRODUCTION IN ONDO STATE, NIGERIA: THE STATE OF THE ARTS: 2006/2007.
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Which country is the highest producer of plantain in West Africa?
Since the last decade, plantain yields in West Africa have experienced slight increases, with the largest production of 3.7 million metric tons in Ghana, contributing about 13.1% to the agricultural Gross Domestic Product.