How To Start Ground Melon (Egusi) Business In Nigeria

Egusi (which is also known by various names as egwusi, agusi, ohue, Ikpan, Ikon, agushi) is the name for the protein-rich seeds of certain cucurbitaceous plants (squash, melon, gourd), which after being dried and ground are used as a major ingredient in West African soups.

Ground egusi business is not very popular in Nigeria; the few people you can see doing the business are in the market where women and men who are into egusi business grind some of the egusi seed for sale to consumers who are always available to buy.

The demand for ground egusi is high in Nigeria today.

People who are into the business are not many and are only in secluded areas such as in the markets and small shops.

What happens to major malls, super food markets and the other areas meaning that the competition in this business is low? Yes, very low. Thereby giving opportunity for new entrants and great Returns On Investments (ROI).

How much do you really need to start the business in Nigeria today?

Starting this business does not require much capital as you can invest just what you have for a start.

If you are starting small, N100,000 is enough for a start, at least it is enough to buy a quarter or half bag. But if you are starting large from N500,000 and above is good for a start.

You see why this business can only keep increasing in popularity and profitability; we are currently living in a world of packaging, sophistication, comfort and ease. This is why this business cannot suffer a setback in any form.

Nobody has the time to be grinding egusi anymore as you can buy ground egusi from shops and supermarkets.

Items You Need To Start Ground Melon Business In Nigeria

Melon (egusi), Nylon/packaging materials, Bowls, Sealing machine, Labels,
Grinding machine, Power Source/Electricity generator

Procedure For Processing Egusi

You must use well dried melon seeds; how do you know that the melon seeds are properly dried? When the egusi seeds make some noise or break easily when pressure is applied you can be sure they are completely dried.

After this, the next process is to grind them with a grinding machine with high capacity. If you don’t have one, then take your egusi to commercial grinders to grind for you. Big machines will grind them to powder whereas other smaller machines will make them sticky. People love their egusi ground very well.

After grinding, do not package immediately, take some time to spread them out for air drying. Air drying the commodity ensures that it does not grow mold in due course.

One very important note is that you don’t grind them in large quantities, grind only the ones you can dispose of quickly. The reason for this being that the taste fades faster and you will be left with egusi that is sour or does not have the expected egusi or melon taste.

How To Store Egusi

Unblended melon seeds can be preserved for longer periods than the already blended seeds.

Put freshly ground egusi seeds into an airtight container and store in the fridge or freezer (it lasts longer in the freezer). There are currently locally fabricated freezers that can contain large quantities of ground egusi.

You can also store freshly ground egusi seeds in Ziploc/ freezer bags (be sure to completely expel air from the bag before sealing) in the fridge.

In Nigeria, egusi is very popular among the Igbo people of southeastern Nigeria, the Ibibio people and the Efik people (Calabar people) of southern Nigeria, the Hausa of northern Nigeria and the Edo people, Esan people, and Etsakọ people of the south-west of Nigeria. Yoruba people in general and quite notably the people of Ọsun State – especially the Ijesha people – eat “Iyan and Egusi”, a pounded yam and egusi soup.

The small looking egusi seeds are full of nutrients. These seeds are high with protein and oil contents as it is composed of 30% pure protein and 50% edible oil. These are an excellent source of tryptophan, methionine and arginine. It also has a small amount of calcium and carbohydrate.

The machinery and equipment for Egusi premix production are locally available and comprises of Washing Machine, Milling Machine / Blender (S/S), Weighing Machine, Dryer, Mixing Machine (S/S), Packaging Machine, Accessories, Generator and Project Vehicle.

Get our Practical Guide on Egusi Packaging for local and International Market. The proposed production capacity is one (1) tons/day at 100% capacity utilization and the plant would operate at 90% of the installed capacity for a single shift of eight (8) hours per day for three hundred (300) working days per annum and producing two million, seven hundred thousand (2,700,000) sachets of 100 g of grinded egusi per annum. The input/output was assumed at 1 / 0.9 tons. The plan offers an in-depth analysis of essential commercial elements, equipping you with actionable insights to build a robust foundation for your venture.

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