Description

Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa) belongs to the family Malvacea. It is an annual herb cultivated for its leaves, stem, seed and calyces. The crop is native to India but was introduced to other parts of the world such as Central America, West Indies and Africa. It is best grown in tropical and sub-tropical regions. Hibiscus is popularly called Zobo in Nigeria. The Nigerian hibiscus punch is made from an infusion of dried hibiscus calyxes which form at the base of flowers as they mature, this red calyxes are frequently used as a natural food colouring also make a delicious herbal punch which can be taken hot or cold. China and Thailand are the largest producers and control much of the world supply. Thailand invested heavily in roselle production and their product is of superior quality, whereas China's product, with less stringent quality control practices, is less reliable and reputable. The world's best roselle comes from the Sudan, but the quantity is low and poor processing hampers quality.

Harvest

Hibiscus sabdariffa is harvested from late December onwards. The harvest is timed according to the ripeness of the seed. The fleshy calyces are harvested after the flower has dropped but before the seedpod has dried and opened. The more time the capsule remains on the plant after the seeds begin to ripen, the more susceptible the calyx is to sores, sun cracking, and general deterioration in quality

Locations

Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.) is widely grown in the tropics and its cultivation in Nigeria is highly concentrated in the North Eastern and Middle- belt regions of the country

Specifications

Features	Percentage
Moisture	5%
Total Ash	10% max
Acid Insoluble Ash	1.50% max
Broken Sticks	5% max
Foreign matter	2% max
Salmonella	Negative

Uses

Hibiscus is used in numerous products there including herbal teas, herbal medicines, syrups and food coloring. It’s also used in ready to serve beverages made by Knudson, Whole Foods and other food and beverage manufacturers.

Description

Ginger (Zingiber Officinale) is a commodity that is highly valued in international markets for its aroma, pungency and high oil and Also resin content. Nigeria is the third largest exporter of ginger in the world after China and India. Most of the dried ginger that are available for international trade are simply sun dried over a few days, but artificial drying is also used in areas lacking a defined dry season to coincide with the harvest. The rhizome is dried to between 10 and 12 per cent moisture content. Dried ginger is usually presented in a split or sliced form. Splitting is said to be preferred to slicing, as slicing loses more flavour, but the sliced are easier to grind and this is the predominant form of dried ginger currently in the market

Harvest

Harvesting of ginger starts from October and normally continues until April/May. This largely depends on the market situation as ginger can be left on the ground (not harvested) for two years.

Locations

Ginger is produced in six states of the Federation namely, Kaduna, Nasarawa, Benue, Niger and Gombe with Kaduna as the major producer. Nigeria's production in 2005 was estimated at 110,000 metric tons (FAO). Out of this, 10% is locally consumed as fresh ginger while 90% is dried primarily for the export markets.

Specifications

Features	Percentage
Moisture	6-9% max
Oil content	1-2%
Impurities	0-2% max

Uses

The list of ginger uses is almost endless, being a pungent spicy herb and one of the more popular food spices. They range from baked products like gingerbread, ginger biscuits, and ginger cookies to drinks like ginger tea, ginger beer, ginger ale, etc. Ginger contains about two per cent essential oil. The oil is extracted and distilled from rhizomes for various uses in confectionery, perfumery, beverages and pharmaceuticals. Dried ginger is used predominantly for flavoring coffee especially in the Middle East. It contains medicinal qualities and it is also used to calm nausea and aids digestion. Dried ginger is used in many different cooking methods. It is an important spice in Asia, the Caribbean and African cooking.

Export Market

The export markets for ginger include the United Kingdom, Germany, Spain, Netherlands, France, United States of America, Russia, and Saudi Arabia among others.

Description

Gum Arabic (Acacia Senegal) Gum Acacia, also known as Gum Arabic, is a natural gum harvested from the exterior of Acacia trees in the form of dry, hard nodules up to 50 mm in diameter, and ranging from almost colorless to brown. Its unique properties endow it with a wide range of uses in food, beverage, pharmaceutical and industrial applications. There are over 1,100 Acacia species worldwide.

However Acacia Senegal and Acacia Seyal are the most commercially exploited species. Nigeria has three grades of Gum Arabic namely:

• Acacia Senegal (Grade 1)
• Acacia seyal (Grade 2)
• Combretum (Grade 3)

The major Acacia utilized for commercial Gum Arabic production in Nigeria are Acacia Senegal and Acacia seyal. Nigeria is the 2nd largest producer of the crop in the world after Sudan with average production of 20,000 metric tons of all grades of Gum Arabic. In the year 2004, world production of Gum Arabic was put at 70,000 metric tonnes while Nigeria's production amounted to 18,935 metric tons with export earnings of US$88.08 million.

Harvest

Gum Arabic is harvested during the dry season because during the rainy season, no gum is formed since the trees are in full bloom. The dry season lasts from October to June and the gum is collected every 10 days during this period. After collection, the gum is brought from the farms and stands to villages from there it’s transported to market

Locations

Gum Arabic is produced in about 14 States of the Federation namely Borno, Yobe, Jigawa, Bauchi, Gombe, Taraba, Plateau, Adamawa, Sokoto, Kebbi, Katsina, Zamfara, Nasarawa and Niger with an estimated population of 4 million Nigerians engaged in its cultivation and trade.

Specifications

Features	Percentage
Purity	98% min
Moisture	10-12% max
Total Ash	4-6%
Acid Insoluble residue	0.4% max
Starch	Negative
Tannin Bearing Gums	Negative
Salmonella	Negative
E. Coli	Negative

Uses

Gum Arabic is used as thickener, suspender, emulsifier, stabilizer, and flavor carrier, binder and encapsulating material. In addition, it is used in confectionaries, food, beverages, pharmaceuticals and chemical industries.

Export Market

The major markets for the product are: Belgium, China, USA, U.K and Japan.

Description

Oranges are one of the most popular fruits and are consumed by individuals all around the world. However, did you know that orange peels also offer incredible health benefits from improving the cardiovascular system to fighting inflammation. Adding them to your diet can be simpler than you think, as you can add them to your smoothies, boil them and add them to a number of different recipes or grate them and add them to teas or other healthy drinks. Peels from one orange per day is more than enough to obtain these health benefits.

The uses of orange peels include:

• Lowers Blood Pressure
• Suppresses Depression and Anxiety
• Improves Heart Health
• Aids in Weight Loss
• Eases Respiratory Issues
• Protects From Cancer

Specifications

Features	Percentage
Colour	Yellow/Golden
Moisture	12% max
Admixture	0.5% max

Description

Sesame seeds (or sesamum or benniseed) are the seeds of the tropical annual Sesamum indicum. The species has a long history of cultivation, mostly for its yield of oil. The original area of domestication of sesame is obscure but it seems likely to have first been brought into cultivation in Asia or India. The plant is usually 60 to 120cm tall and the fruit is a dehiscent capsule held close to the stem. When ripe, the capsule shatters to release a number of small seeds. The seeds are protected by a fibrous ‘hull’ or skin, which may be whitish to brown or black depending on the variety. 1000 seeds weigh some 4-8g. The seeds have a high oil content of 44-60%.

Harvest

Harvesting begins in late December and continues through July. Each producing area stated in the next section below (Locations) has only one season.

Specifications

Features	Percentage
Oil Content	45-60%
Impurities	0-2% max
Free fatty acid (FFA)	1-2%
Moisture content	6-9% max

Export Market

The major importer of sesame seeds in the world is Japan while the major consuming markets in the EU are Greece, Germany, the Netherlands and the UK. In the past, the bulk of sesame was imported from China. Increasingly, other sources such as India, Sudan and, most recently, Pakistan, are taking the market share. The USA is the fifth largest import market with a steady demand for over 50,000 tons per year.