A banana grower in Dadin-Kowa community in Yamaltu/Deba Local Government Area of Gombe State, Mr Sani Hashidu, said he earns over N1 million from banana farming annually.
Hashidu, 43, stated this in an interview on Tuesday in Dadin-Kowa community.
The father of 17 children and husband of three wives said the proceeds from banana sales enable him to cater for his family’s needs and invest more in agriculture.
Banana is an edible fruit of the large herbaceous flowering plants widely consumed due to its health benefits, and rich in starch and vitamins.
It varies in size but normally long, curved and when ripped might be green, yellow, purple, red or brown.
Apart from eating, banana can also be used to make fibre, wine, beer, or processed into powder used by industries producing food, pharmaceuticals, feeds and cosmetics.
Hashidu described banana farming as “a lucrative agribusiness, one which requires low seed capital and gives high returns due to its market.“
He said that he made brisk businesses from the trade as buyers booked for the produce even before harvest.
Hashidu said that he also set up a fish farm from the proceed of the sale of banana, adding that, “fish farming business has been his long-time ambition.
“Banana farming has huge potentials in Dadin-Kowa because of the availability of water from the dam in the community, which enabled me to farm all-year-round.
“I make up to N1 million from banana farming annually; the plantation is endowed with lots of bunches already booked by customers.
“Each bunch of banana sells between N4,000 and N5,000, depending on size.
“This is good for me because I spend less, as I do not need to continue planting because banana tree produces suckers that grow on their own.
“Since I don’t need to buy suckers to replant, this makes me earn more yearly from the continuous harvest,” he said.
According to Hashidu, the demand for banana is high, easy to cultivate and multiplies without much effort.
“A banana tree can produce other plenty suckers as the year go by which will increase your harvest because those suckers grow to become tree and produce their own bunch of banana”.
He noted that the government could empower the youths and reduce unemployment through banana farming in the state.
The farmer called on youths to embrace agriculture to enable them to engage in productive activities and become self-reliant.
“I cultivate variety of crops and I’m also into fish farming. I make money from it besides banana farming. So, agriculture is the only way to empower yourself economically,” he said. (NAN)
