MONEY MATTERS: Pumpkin Farming As Money Spinner

Ugwu leaf (pumpkin) has become so popular and widely consumed by most Nigerians because of the health benefits.

Several studies have showed that pumpkin leaf, known as telfairia occidentalis is rich in minerals, such as iron, potassium, sodium, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, anti-oxidants and vitamins, such as thiamine, riboflavin, nicotinamide and ascorbic acid.

A farmer in Lagos, Mrs Ekaete Egboro told LEADERSHIP that in the 1990s, people hardly buy Ugwu leaves. “The only people that purchase Ugwu leave from us were mostly the Igbos, but recently, a lot of people do come to my farm on a daily basis to buy my Ugwu leaves,” Mrs Egboro add.

She disclosed that the business is very lucrative as there is no day that people don’t buy from her, adding that, little efforts is required to grow the leave.

Steps to planting and nurturing Ugwu leaves

As lucrative as the Ugwu business, Mrs Egboro said,  it takes little or no effort to plant and nurture it. “However, you must have passion and patience to practice agriculture,” she added.

She said: “If you want to start the business, the first thing to do is to get a land. Ugwu leaves mostly flourish on a loamy soil. However, you can plant Ugwu leaves anywhere, at your backyard and it will also flourish.”

With just a plot of land, Mrs Egboro said: “You can then start the Ugwu business. There is no season for Ugwu leaves, however, the best time to start planting Ugwu seeds is between April and May.

After securing a land, the farmer said, “You can buy pumpkin seeds from farmers. Try to dry the seeds a bit before planting. After planting, you can visit the farm 15 days later to see if the seeds have germinated. Once in a while, you can check on it, by removing weeds and erecting beds (sticks) for the Ugwu to grow properly.

“With adequate water, Ugwu germinate within ten days after planting and in 50 days, one can start harvesting.

“We usually use knives or hand to cut the stem. Please don’t pluck the leaves, you cut if from the stem, to enable it grow again. With a lot of water and little manure, the vegetable would do well. It’s wise to plant a lot of seeds during the dry seasons,” she added.

The market is very huge, Egboro said, adding that “You don’t need to market yourself, because there is huge demand for Ugwu leaves.”

Profitability

Ugwu is very expensive right now, maybe because of the demand, and more expensive during the dry season, the farmer said, adding that, “On an average, one can make a minimum of N20,000 weekly and could even be more. I make that amount on just one plot of land.”