How To Start Garri Processing Business: The Definitive Guide

You can start garri processing business in Nigeria readily with the guide we have prepared below.

Cassava production in Africa and most specifically garri processing is a lucrative business venture; both in Central and West Africa.

The industrial processing of cassava in Nigeria holds potential for investors who can engage in various merchandise like garri flour, fufu, tapioca, ethanol, starch, glucose syrup, etc for business. Each one of these products has important export potential and is in high demand. Nonetheless, we are going to focus on starting garri processing business only here.

Before we get into that, we would detail cassava and its products, how garri is a staple food and the types and varieties of garri in the market before the startup procedures for garri production. You may also use the table of contents for easy perusal.

Cassava and Cassava Products

Cassava crops - start garri processing business
Cassava crops – start garri processing business

Cassava is among the most famous and widely consumed food crops in Africa. The importance of this crop largely falls back on the large harvests that can be made from it. Because of this, it is often a basis of food security.

The competitive demands for cassava and its products such as garri, cut across animal and human consumption. It is the preferred material for making biofuels and is fast becoming a popular raw material in industrial production. Garri is a staple food in Nigeria and is processed with cassava tubers. Once considered to be food for the poor, garri is slowly slipping from the range of average Nigerians who occasionally cannot do without helping themselves to a plate of Eba (or Garri flour blended in hot water) or its saturated variation daily.

As the African population grows rapidly the need for food basics like cassava has improved. Costs are being pushed by this high interest in assorted types of processed cassava to the ceiling. Several small-scale cassava farmers altering their lives through this company and are making a fortune.

In view of that, let us take a detailed look at the chances of starting garri processing business or among other cassava production services.

Garri As A Staple Food

Garri production
Garri and Soup

Garri is a creamy-yellowish or white granular flour with a time sour flavour and a slightly fermented flavour. It is made of fermented, gelatinous fresh cassava tubers. Garri is a staple food mostly eaten in Nigeria and some West African nations.

Even in faraway America, Australia, Europe, and a few other regions of Africa, this popular staple food is eaten by folks with distinct tasty African soups. The saturated variation of Garri flour taken with coconut, bean cakes (akara), legumes pudding, groundnuts, or smoked fish, is just another fascinating delicacy for a lot of people, particularly when taken with cold water and during hot periods.

Some prefer to eat their garri by adding water, sugar, milk, and nuts to their Garri while it is in its powdered form

Varieties Of Garri In The Market

Varieties Of Garri In The Market
Varieties Of Garri In The Market

The various kinds of garri flour in the marketplace are determined by the grain size, processing methods of the garri and the place of production. The selection of size or feel is to match the use of the garri. The coarse grain is generally soaked in water and eaten with milk and nuts based on personal preferences while the fine grain is used for making eba or swallow.

Types Of Garri At The Market

Garri can also be classified based on the amount of fermentation or whether palm oil is added to it. The following are the various types of garri obtainable in the market

1. White Garri

This is the most common type of garri seen in West Africa. It is fermented without the addition of palm oil during the first two to three days of its production.

2. Crimson Garri or Yellow Garri

This kind of garri also called Bendel garri is usually seen in states like Edo, Delta and the Southern parts of Nigeria. It passes through an identical preparation procedure to the white garri. The difference here is that red palm oil is added to give the yellowish colour of the Bendel garri. The inclusion of palm oil helps to decrease the cyanide content.

3. Ijebu Garri

This garri is made in the same manner the others are made, but here, the fermentation is about seven days. No palm oil is added. It is starchy and when heated, it eventually becomes crisped and contains an extremely sharp flavour. Ijebu garri dominates the Western part of Nigeria.

4. Ghana Garri

This garri is produced in Ghana with the same procedure as the others only that the peeled and picked cassava is soaked in water. In the case of Ghana Garri, after grating the saturated and peeled cassava, it is not wet in sunlight before frying.

Technical Requirements For Garri Production

Starting garri processing business
Starting garri processing business

The important raw material needed in the production is picked cassava roots. The fresh cassava tuber needs to be free from insect or microbial damage. It also needs to be processed to avoid loss and deterioration of quality.
Machines and equipment for grating a cassava plant should contain a 5 HP ability machine, which can take lots of grated cassava tubers. Additionally, you will need a grating machine, hydraulic press, fryers, peelers etc., knives, wheelbarrow, bowls

How To Start Garri Processing Business

The process of producing garri is quite easy and straightforward. It may be exemplified as follows:

From the cassava farm ▶️ skinning ▶️ grating/grinding ▶️ pressing ▶️ sieving ▶️ frying ▶️ cooling ▶️ bagging.

For more clarification, the cassava tubers are gathered from the farm, they are washed and cleaned to remove soil and sand, and then the tubers are peeled before being taken to the engine house to be grated into a pulp and skin the tubers using a knife or machine.

Marketplace Potentials of Garri Production

Starting garri processing business
Garri production begins with harvesting cassava

The market potential for garri is secure and enormous. Why? Regular Nigerians and some Africans use up the merchandise. Garri flour goods, particularly eba, are used regularly throughout the continent.

Your marketplace comprises everyone: men, workers, students, girls, kids, the aged, etc. The market value of this product runs into billions of dollars annually. This marketplace has continued to grow as many turn to eating garri as a snack.

Earning Potentials In The Garri Production Business

The West African marketplace, is about 300 million individuals. Nigeria is 75% of this count and about 170 million individuals to the effective demand segment use up at least a 5-litre pail of flour that is garri weekly. If this 75% is a 5-member family, we’re speaking about (75% x 170,000,000=127.5 million/5=25.5 million families).

If each family pays N800 for a 5-litre pail of Garri weekly, then the market potential is 25.5 million times N800, which equals N20.4 billion worth of garri being consumed every week from our open markets. If for just about any reason, 50% of the capacity is accurate, we’re still talking about N10.2 billion worth of garri flour eaten every week.

Tell me, doesn’t this company have tremendous financial potential? It does!

Overview Of The Steps To Start Garri Processing Plant

Steps to start garri processing plant
Cassava farming
  • Startup capital: rounds up to N1million or less with respect to the size of the investment. A large sum part of this money will be used in the purchase of the machines. Machine purchase can be jointly carried out with other companies or individuals
  • First-year gains perspective: From N2 million to nearly an N100 million
  • Break-even time from first investment: quite fast (can be between 1 to 5 years)
  • Future increase potential: High
  • Sustainability of the business: Dynamic
  • Potential for Cooperative or Small business: Established organizations
  • Staffing and recruitment of workers: considerable staffing needed, particularly at the start

Some FAQs On Garri Production

Which state has the best garri in Nigeria?

Benue state is rated as the top cassava and garri producers in Nigeria. Ijebu garri is also noted to have originated from the state.

How many paint bucket is in a 50kg bag of garri?

A custard bucket or small paint bucket is normally used in measuring garri at the local market. A bag of garri which is 50kg contains about 20 paint buckets of garri.

How many kg is a paint bucket of garri?

The normal paint bucket used in measurements at Nigerian markets equals 3.15kg. This means that a paint bucket of garri contains 3.15kg of garri.

What is the English name of garri?

The more polished way to refer to “garri” is ‘Granulated cassava’ or ‘Cassava granules’. The both fit as the English names for garri.

Conclusion

It is high our unemployed graduates and well-informed citizens considered getting into this company in the agricultural sector. This would help us become self-sufficient in food production and processing, thus creating jobs for a lot of jobless persons. Planning is essential to making this type of company, an enormous success as I always say.