By Stella Azi
Years ago, Nigerian economy relied heavily on agriculture, though the sector still contributes greatly to the nations Gross Domestic Product (GDP), it has recently not received the attention it deserves. Onion production and processing is one of such neglected sub-sectors. It is an important vegetable crop with vast value chain, and cultivated in huge quantity in Nigeria. Farming and cultivation of onion for consumption and industrial utilization has suffered great setbacks because of lack of adequate and effective process technology and modern storage facilities.
Cultivation of the crop in Nigeria is done in both small and large scale. The vegetable crop is cultivated in three seasons annually, and key to farmers raising their yield at every coming season is dependent on the availability and accessibility of the crop. Packaging and lack of proper storage of the vegetable crop for future use, has remained the greatest challenge to onion farming, production and development in Nigeria
Journal on Agriculture in Nigeria2022 reported that the nation is one of the highest producers and consumers of onion in the world, among nations like China, Japan and India. Nigeria produces 2 million metric tons of onion annually and exports the crop to other African countries including: Niger Republic, Ghana, Sudan, Central Africa Republic, Burkina Faso, Benin Republic, Mali, Cote d’Ivoire etc. Nigeria, which is among the highest onion exporting countries in sub-Sahara Africa, has one of the best onion specie in the world. The crop is cultivated and grown in Kano, Kaduna, Jigawa, Sokoto, Yobe, Adamawa, Plateau, Bauchi Kebbi, Lagos, and Cross River States.
Storage of onions as practiced in these States, involve using the traditional method; they are preserved in silos; in structures built with bamboo and wood stacks stuffed with grass. With this practice, onions could stay for just between 5-6 months before decay. The materials used suggest that this method is unsuitable for the rainy season as the capacity of the storage materials to absorb moisture is very high.
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Research has shown that to keep onions successfully persevered and stored for more than a year, the Modern Ventilation System is crucial. In Nigeria, considering the tropical climate, the ventilation system should be designed in such a way that heat storage range is regulated between 25 – 31 degree Celsius and at 60% humidity.
Despite the comparative advantage in onion production, the sub-sector suffers tremendous post-harvest losses annually. About 50% of onions produced annually is wasted due to inadequate storage facility, amounting to N300 billion – N500 billion loss. Investment in innovation in storage technology will go a long way to curb the loss and build a viable onion sub-sector that will impart the country’s economic base and global competitiveness.
To rise to this challenge, the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC), a parastatal of the federal government under the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (FMSTI) got involve in onion value chain development. The Council constituted an in-house research team to develop proper processing and preservation/storage mechanisms to check post-harvest loses, extend onion shelf life and add value to the crop production in Nigeria.
This will increase local content for the food and pharmaceutical industries, provide sufficient onions for local consumption and export within the shores of Africa and beyond. The RMRDC in partnership with the Sokoto State Government (the state identified to be highest producing state), Afri-Genetic Synergy Farms Ltd and Boaffair Engineering Ltd designed, fabricated using indigenous materials, and successfully installed onions process equipment ranging from: a slicing machine, washing machine, centrifugal dewatering machine, tray drier and a water treatment plant. The factory which was inaugurated in April, 2023 is effectively running to date. The pilot plant can dry 150kg of fresh onion per day, and has shown great profitability even at small scale.
The intervention of RMRDC in onion processing and development in Sokoto State has initiated the yearning by investors from other onion producing state to see that the process technology is reproduced in their states, among which are: Valleyfield Trapco Ltd, Kaduna; Baalas Food Processing Ltd, Ibadan; Enas Global Ventures Ltd. Jos, Plateau State and Jubilee Foods Ltd, Akure, Ondo State.
In Nigeria, onion powder has wide industrial uses, one of which is in the manufacturing of food seasoning cubes, examples are Knorr, Maggi and Royco cubes.
Due to its high vitamins, mineral and anti-oxidant content, onion is used for pharmaceutical products. Its many health benefits include management of obesity, heart disease, cancer etc. A study by the National Onion Producers, Processors and Marketers Association of Nigeria (NOPPMAN) revealed that another critical factor limiting growth in this sector is lack of proper data base across most sections of the onion value chain. NOPPMAN noted that available data are not properly recorded to show mid to long term trends in onion farming and production, because of the informal nature of the sub-sector. The association recommended to build a data base that will clearly record the activities of the sector for effective running of its operations.
