Mitrobe StaffYou’ll agree with me that 40% of the Nigeria labour force is centered on Agriculture. This sector is lucrative and ultra-profitable. Most especially, when dealing with cash crops.
What are cash crops in Agriculture?
Cash crops are known as export crops or industrial crops. Thus, this article will open your eyes to the list of all cash crops in Nigeria. In case you might want to get a venture into farming. Listed below are some of the examples of cash crops that are mostly available in Large quantities in Nigeria.
Equally, most farmers in Nigeria practice subsistence farming. And 33% of the landmass of the country is being used for crop cultivation. However, local crops and vegetables are being cultivated too, but on a little portion of land.
Informatively, Nigeria belongs to the class of the major agricultural crops producer in the world. Thanks to our fertile land and climate that support diverse cash crops.
List of All Cash Crops in Nigeria and their Location
However, if you’ll like to explore the agricultural industry or venture into cash crops production, you may find this list of all cash crops in Nigeria, the list also features some food crops in Nigeria too.
Soya beans
In the whole of West and Central Africa, Nigeria holds the record of the largest Soya bean producers for both human and animal consumption.
This cash crop is being used in some of the local industry for human and livestock feed production and substantial amount are also being exported out of the country to the wider world.
However, the states that cultivate soya beans in Nigeria are Benue, Kwara, Oyo, Kaduna, Ondo, Kogi, Nassarawa, Niger, Taraba and host of others.
Cocoa
One of the leading and popular cash crops in Nigeria that has become the order of the day at Nigeria exporting hubs is Cocoa. This crop had for once being Nigeria’s major source of income.
In fact, the Cocoa house in Ibadan that happened to be the tallest building in the country was built with Cocoa proceeds. Cocoa farming is profitable as it sits as the third most exporting cash crop across the globe.
Today, Nigeria produces more than 80% of the world’s Cocoa alone. Hence, the major Cocoa farmers in Nigeria can be found in Ekiti, Edo, Ogun, Ondo, Cross River, Osun, and Oyo State.
Kolanut
If you reside in any area of Akwa Ibom, Osun, Anambra, Benue, Oyo, Edo, Ogun, Cross River, Ekiti, Enugu, Imo, Lagos, Gombe, Nasarawa, Kogi, Ondo, Rivers and Niger State, kola nut farming may be perfect for you.
Rubber
Another popular cash crop in the Nigeria exporting hubs is rubber. As of the time of writing this, Nigeria is the 9th largest rubber-producing State in the world.
Delta state has the largest rubber farmers and states like Abia, Ogun, Bayelsa, Cross River, Edo, Ekiti, and Kogi follows. So if you’ll like to dabble into cash crop farming, cultivating rubber wouldn’t be bad either.
Oil Palm
History has it that Nigeria was once the largest oil palm producing State in the world before it diversified into crude oil. Yet, the country still occupied the 3rd position on the largest oil palm producing country after Indonesia and Malaysia. Accordingly, Niger Delta records 57% of the oil palm production in Nigeria while other states follow:
Cotton
Cotton is another major cash crop in Nigeria you may want to consider in the agricultural industry. This cash crop production has contributed immensely to Nigeria’s textile activities.
Cotton production dates from 1903 in Nigeria and is led by the British Cotton Growers Association until 1974. The major states in Nigeria where cotton is being cultivated include but not limited to Kano, Kaduna, Sokoto, Ogun, Ondo, Katsina, Oyo, and Kwara.
Groundnut
The importance of groundnut as agricultural produce can never be overemphasized in Nigeria. Often, this agricultural produce is being classified as both cash crop and food crop. After China and the US, Nigeria is the third largest groundnut producing country.
Similarly, Niger state has the largest groundnut plantation in Nigeria follow by, Kano, Zamfara, Jigawa, Kebbi, Katsina, Sokoto, Kaduna, Adamawa, Yobe and others.
Sesame
Also, the substantial amount of sesame crops that are being cultivated in Nigeria are shipped out to the wider world for commercialization. After India and China, Nigeria is the next producer of sesame in the world cash crop market.
There are 17 states in Nigeria that produce Sesame with the FCT inclusive. Other include Adamawa, Borno, Sokoto, Bauchi, Benue, Gombe, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Plateau, Nasarawa, Niger, Abuja etc.
Sugarcane
Sugar cane is cultivated majorly in the north-western region of Nigeria with Kano State topping the chart with over 30% of the country’s production.
Sugar cane is being used by many industries in the country as raw material but nevertheless, a huge amount of this cash crop are being exported out to some part of Africa, Asia, and Europe.
Apart from being used by local industries and the international companies at large, sugar cane is also consumed largely as food in Nigeria. However, Taraba, Kebbi, Sokoto, Jigawa, Katsina, Adamawa, etc are other sugar cane producing states in the country.
Tobacco
Although tobacco has been frowned at as agricultural produce due to threats to human health but yet, this cash crop keeps soaring high in the exporting market. Actually, about 12,000 people engage directly in our tobacco cultivation and growing annually.
Cashew nuts
of the most popular and leading cash crops in Nigeria is cashew nuts. The list of all cash crops in Nigeria wouldn’t be a complete one without it.
Findings show that Nigeria was ranked as the 2nd producer of cashew nuts in the world In 2013, Haven produced 950,000 metric tonnes or thereabouts.
Also, cashew fruit is edible, and the nuts are also used in the local industries as raw material for different numbers of things. But nevertheless, there are usually enough left to be exported.
However, the states with essential cashew plantations in Nigeria include Oyo, Enugu, Anambra, Osun, Ondo, Kogi, Benue, Imo, Ebonyi, Ekiti, Kwara etc.
Sorghum
Although sorghum is a food crop but it can be categorized as a cash crop too because it’s being used as a raw material in the brewery industries and at the same time it’s being exported out of the country in a large quantity.
End Note
The agricultural industry is one of the highly sought industry in Nigeria. Although the business is difficult and it requires huge capital investment. However, if you’ll be capitalizing on cash crop production any time soon, this article on all cash crops in Nigeria might be really helpful.
mitrobe
Mitrobe Staff
