Mangoes are juicy stone fruit (drupe) from numerous species of tropical trees belonging to the

flowering plant genus Mangifera, cultivated mostly for their edible fruit.
The majority of these species are found in nature as wild mangoes. The genus belongs to the
cashew family Anacardiaceae.
Mango is native to South Asia and is known as the king of fruits. It is one of the most popular
tropical fruits in the world. It is an important export commodity as it earns about $24 million
annually.
The mango is known as the ‘king of fruit’ throughout the world. The name ‘mango’ is derived from
the Tamil word ‘mangkay’ or ‘man-gay’. Over the years the demand for mangoes arising from the
quest for better health amongst Europeans and the non-alcoholic dietary of middle-east and Arab
nationals, has been on the increase.
Mangoes are grown in eighty-five (85) countries and sixty-three (63) countries with over twenty
million (20,000,000) metric tons of mangos grown throughout the tropical and sub-tropical world,
with developing countries accounting for about ninety-eight percent (98%) of total production.
According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in 2015, Nigeria produced eight
hundred and fifty thousand (850,000) tonnes of mango. The main producing states in the country
include Benue, Jigawa, Plateau, Yobe, kebbi, Niger, Kaduna, Kano, Bauchi, Sokoto, Adamawa,
Taraba and FCT.
Every part of the mango is beneficial and has been utilized in folk remedies in some form or
another. Whether the bark, leaves, skin or pit; all have been concocted into various types of
treatments or preventatives down through the centuries.
Mangoes have been classified into such wide known types as Alphonso, Amelia, Apple Haden,
Kent, Ruby and Julie. Findings indicate that all the types thrive and yield highly under the
prevalent agricultural and climatic conditions of Nigeria.
Mangoes are grown abundantly in many parts of Nigeria but most of these fruits are lost after
harvesting. To reduce post-harvest losses of mango, the products would be processed into
mango chips with drying.
Dried fruit is fruit from which the majority of the original water content has been removed either
naturally, through sun drying, or through the use of specialized dryers or dehydrators. Dried fruit
has a long tradition of use dating back to the fourth millennium BC in Mesopotamia, and is prized
because of its sweet taste, nutritive value, and long shelf life.
Today, dried fruit consumption is widespread. Nearly half of the dried fruits sold are raisins,
followed by dates, prunes, figs, apricots, peaches, apples and pears.
These are referred to as “conventional” or “traditional” dried fruits: fruits that have been dried in
the sun or in heated wind tunnel dryers. Many fruits such as cranberries, blueberries, cherries,
strawberries and mango are infused with a sweetener (e.g. sucrose syrup) prior to drying. Some
products sold as dried fruit, like papaya, kiwi fruit and pineapple are most often candied fruit.
Dried fruits retain most of the nutritional value of fresh fruits.The specific nutrient content of the
different dried fruits reflects their fresh counterpart and the processing method.
This report seeks to examine the financial viability or otherwise of producing mango chips from
fresh mango in Nigeria.
Mango chips are dried mango is a dried form of the mango fruit, which comes from the mango
tree, bearing the scientific name Mangifera indica. The fruits are dried naturally or dehydrated
and are then exported around the world, maintaining a much longer shelf life once all of the
water has been removed. Dried mango is one of the most popular types of dried fruit.
Dried mango possesses a number of beneficial nutrients, including vitamin A that regulates
metabolism, calcium, and iron, as well as a minimal amount of vitamin C – far less than is found
in a fresh mango. During the drying process, water-soluble vitamins like vitamin C are lost.
 These fruits also contain about two (2) grams of fiber in a 1/3-cup serving, as well as roughly
thirty (30) grams of sugar. A single serving of these sugar-dense fruits will also deliver about one
hundred and sixty (160) calories.
The proposed production volume is five hundred (500) kilogrammes per hour of fresh mangoes
and the plant would operate at eighty percent (80%) of the installed capacity for a triple shift of
eight (8) hours per day for three hundred (300) working days per annum.

A Sample Mango Export Business Plan Template

Are you about starting a mango exporting business? If YES, here is a complete
sample mango export business plan template and feasibility report you can use
for FREE.
Okay, so we have considered all the requirements for starting a mango exporting
business. We also took it further by analyzing and drafting a sample mango export
business marketing plan template backed up by actionable guerrilla marketing ideas for
mango exporting businesses. So let’s proceed to the business planning section.
Table of Content [hide]
 1 Why Start a Mango Export Business?
 2 Mango Export Business Plan – Executive Summary
 3 Mango Export Business Plan – SWOT Analysis
 4 Mango Export Business Plan – MARKET ANALYSIS
 5 Mango Export Business Plan – SALES AND MARKETING STRATEGY
 6 Mango Export Business Plan – Publicity and Advertising Strategy
 7 Mango Export Business Plan – Sustainability and Expansion Strategy

Why Start a Mango Export Business?

Mango, known as the king of fruits is the favorite fruit of a lot of people not only in
Nigeria but globally as well. Asides from the sweetness of the fruit, mangoes are
believed to have medicinal properties that can cure ailments. Also, there are various
uses of mangoes in the food industry, health industry and the beauty industry.
Starting a mango exporting business is therefore one of the most lucrative businesses
that a serious minded entrepreneur can start up and in no time start making profit.
However, exporting the fruit is quite different from selling the fruit locally and a number of
things have to be put in place before your mangoes can be exported out of Nigeria to
countries in Europe, United Kingdom, North America, Middle East and the United Arab
Emirates, where there is a high demand for it.
One of the requirements you would need to fulfill before getting started as a mango
exporter is in registering with the Nigeria Export Promotion Council (NEPC), where you
will then be given a certificate and an access to foreign buyers. The council will also help
you with information such as the best way to preserve and package your mangoes for
exporting in line with the international food laws of the countries you would be exporting
to.
You will also need to establish a business relationship with any local bank here in
Nigeria that handles international business, as the bank will help you handle the
transactions and ensure that your credit remains afloat.
Another important aspect that should not be overlooked is a business plan. If you cannot
write a business plan yourself, below is one that has been written for you.

A Sample Mango Export Business Plan Template

  Business Overview

To successfully run a mango exporting business, you need to know all the kinds of
mangoes that exist, so that you would know which ones are peculiar to Nigeria and
which countries would want the mangoes that are being grown in Nigeria, before going
into the export business.
Mangoes are classified into known types like Amelia, Julie, Kent, Ruby, Alphonso and
Apple Haden. All these types of mangoes grow in Nigeria depending on the climatic
condition as well as the prevailing agricultural practice in the area.
Mangoes are medicinal contrary to popular belief that they are just a sweet fruit. Every
part of mango, from the bark, leaves, pit or skin has been used as remedies for some
sort of ailments. The medicinal properties of this sweet fruit can perform such functions
as; contraceptive, laxative, cardio-tonic, aphrodisiac, anti-septic, expectorant, anti-
parasitic, cough, anti-asthmatic et al.
The climatic condition here in Nigeria has tripled the country’s potentials over other
suppliers of mango globally. Even though the input cost is somewhat high, the steady
export rate has more than compensated for this. The export price per ton is dependent
on the grade of the mango, if it is single, and if it is a slice or concentrate. Mangoes are
also important due to the various other drug and food derivatives that is being sourced
from it such as jam, juice, flavors, marmalade, syrup, body products and a host of
others.
Even though mangoes are grown in more than 85 countries in the tropical and sub-
tropical regions according to research, with over 63 countries exporting over 20 million
metric tons, more than 97 percent of what is produced globally is from developing
nations such as India and Nigeria.
Nigeria’s position in the global community of countries exporting mangoes as at 2006
was number 8. Most of the states that produce these mangoes for exporting purposes
are Kaduna, Benue, Kano, Jigawa, Bauchi, Plateau, Sokoto, Yobe, Adamawa,  Kebbi,
Taraba, Niger and the FCT.
The demand for mangoes as seen globally is in response to the increase in demand
from Europeans, Middle East and the Arabs. While the Europeans see mangoes as a
fruit that can help with health concerns, the Middle East and Arabs see it as meeting
their non-alcoholic dietary needs. According to a market survey conducted by the
International Trade Center in Geneva on fresh fruits, it was found that the volume of
trade regarding mangoes annually stood at $5 billion.

Mango Export Business Plan – Executive Summary

Juicy mango Exporter Ventures is a mango exporting business that has been fully
registered by the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and licensed by the National
Exporting Promotion Council (NEPC) here in Apapa – Lagos. We intend to offer our
global customers the following products and services such as; exporting of frozen
mangoes, exporting of preserved mangoes, exporting of dried mangoes, consultancy
and advisory services.
Our intention is to ensure that we run a standard mango exporting business that will not
only generate revenue and maximize profit but will also stand out and compete favorably
against our competitors. Our mango preservation and packaging methods are the best
and adhere to international best practices.
In order for us to achieve this, we intend to build a solid business structure that will allow
us run our business with as less hitches as possible. We will ensure that we source for
and hire the best hands in the field to help handle and run our business. Our food
technologist for instance is one that knows the best preservation methods for our
mangoes, and our purchasing manager understands the best areas to source for
mangoes for our organization.
In order to ensure that our employees remain motivated enough, we would not only
ensure that they work in an environment that is conducive, we would make sure that
they receive the best pay and welfare packages better than their counterparts in similar
start-ups such as ours.
Finally our Chief Executive Officer and owner, Alhaji Bintu Ahmed is an agro allied
professional and has been in the industry as well as the exporting industry for more than
10 years. He understands fully how to run businesses like this and will ensure that we
are able to attain all our goals and objectives.

 Our Products and Services

Juicy Mango Exporters Ventures is a business that is not only fully registered with the
Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) but also fully licensed by the Nigeria Exporting
Promotion Council (NEPC) and other relevant agencies here in Apapa – Lagos to
generate revenue and also maximize profit in the agro-processing industry cum
agricultural industry.
We intend to provide the best services to all our international clients. Therefore the
products and services that will be made available to all our clients include;

 Exporting of frozen mangoes

 Exporting of preserved mangoes
 Exporting of dried mangoes
 Consultancy and advisory services

Our Vision Statement

Our vision is to ensure that we become the preferred brand for all our international
customers through our quality products and services. We intend to be known as the
number one mango exporter here in Nigeria.

 Our Mission Statement

In order to achieve our vision, we intend to ensure that we hire competent and
experienced employees that will ensure that we source for the right mangoes and that
proper preservation and packaging methods are carried out according to international
laws.

 Our Business Structure

Juicy mango Exporters Venture is a standard mango exporting business that is set to
become a class leader here in Nigeria through our services and products that will allow
us not only to stand out in the industry but also enable us compete favorably against our
competitors in the whole of Nigeria. With this in mind, we have resolved to build a solid
business structure that will see us sourcing for only the best to come and work in our
company.
We intend to source for and hire a management team that do not only come with
experience but understands the industry quite well and knows how best to achieve all
our goals and objectives. Our management team will ensure that all our company
policies are adhered to and implemented so that we can rise from becoming a start-up to
a national and international force to reckon with.
Due to the additional services that we intend offering in order to enable us retain a huge
share of the market, we would be hiring more employees than necessary to help handle
the tasks and responsibilities that would occur from the new positions created.
We will ensure that our employees are well paid and receive incentives that will allow
them remain motivated and committed to ensuring that we achieve all our goals and
objectives.
The business structure that we therefore intend to build here at Juicy Mangoes
Exporters Ventures is;

 Chief Executive Officer

 Human Resources and Admin Manager
 Accountant/Cashier
 Marketing Team
 Business Development Officer
 Purchasing and Inventory Officer
 Food Technologist
 Customer Care Executive
 Driver
 Cleaner
 Security Guard

Roles and Responsibilities

Chief Executive Officer

 Creates the necessary policies and strategies that would impact the overall
direction of the organization
 Prepares the budget that would be used by the organization
 Evaluates the success of the organization as a whole

Human Resources and Admin Manager

 Ensures that the administrative functions are smoothly performed

 Interviews and hires the best employees on behalf of the organization
 Appraises the performance of the employees and uses this to determine their
worth to the organization

Accountant/Cashier

 Prepares all the financial information, statement, budget and reports on behalf of
the organization
 In charge of preparing  employee payrolls and the overall budget of the
organization
  In charge of monitoring the inflow and outflow of monies generated by the
organization and ensures that every naira is accounted for

Marketing Team

 Conducts marketing research to determine new target markets on behalf of the

organization
 Creates effective marketing strategies that will generate income for the
organization
 Generates revenue for the organization by sourcing for clients and negotiating
with them

Business Development Officer

 Sources for likely new business models that will generate revenue on behalf of
the organization
 Sources for new foreign distributors and agents on behalf of the organization
 Creates new revenue streams on behalf of the organization

Purchasing and Inventory Officer

 Sources for reliable suppliers and mango farmers and ensures that there are
back-ups always
 Ensures that the mangoes that arrive at the organization for preservation are all
according to company policies and industry standards
 Knowledgeable about industry trends and knows the going rate for what grams is
acceptable by foreign distributors and how it is weighed here in Nigeria

Food Technologist

 In charge of using the best ways possible to ensure that the mangoes are
preserved for exportation
 Carries out quality assurance on each preserved mangoes to ensure that they
are in line with international practice
 Ensures that the mangoes to be exported are well packaged

Customer Care Executive

 Attends to all the enquiries and orders on behalf of the organization

 Remains updated about industry trends and company policies in order to offer
customers accurate information
 Keeps an updated and accurate customer database on behalf of the organization

Driver

 Runs official errands on behalf of the organization

 Ensures that mangoes to be exported are duly delivered at the port of departure
 Ensures that the vehicle is cleaned at all times and carries out preventive
maintenance on the official vehicle

Cleaner
  Ensures that the premises is cleaned before official working hours
 Ensures that cleaning stocks are always in supply and reports any depleted stock
to the human resources manager
 Carries out any other duties as determined by the human resources manager

Security Guard

 Monitors incoming and outgoing individuals in the company

 Ensures that all visitors fill a form indicating who they are, who they intend to see
and times of arrival and departure
 Carries out any other duties as determined by the management

Mango Export Business Plan – SWOT Analysis

While starting a mango exporting business might be seen to be straightforward and
easy, there are certain factors that must be taken into consideration if one is expected to
succeed in the business. We have therefore hired the services of a reputable consulting
firm here in Apapa – Lagos to help us look through our business concept and determine
how likely we are to make an impact in this business once we have started.
Using our strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats to thoroughly determine how
our business would likely fare and compete effectively against our competitors not only
here in Lagos but all around Nigeria as well. The preview therefore of the SWOT
analysis that was conducted on behalf of Juicy Mango Exporters Ventures are;

 Strengths

We have several strengths in our favor. The first is that we are offering other services in
addition to our core service which has seen us have a larger share of the target market
and compete favorably against our competitors. Also, we have employed those who not
only have the necessary experience and competence but are also dedicated to the
growth and prominence of our mango exporting business. Our chief executive and
owner is one that has the necessary experience and will ensure that we are able to
attain all our goals and objectives.

 Weaknesses

We are a relatively new exporting business and because of this, it is not so easy for us
to get a bank that will offer us a line of credit as other already established exporting
businesses. Also, even though we have locally sourced for financing to help with our
local operations, we do not have enough to compete effectively against already
established mango or fruit producers.
Our staff strength is also somewhat limited and this will greatly affect our chances of
growth. Also, since we are relatively a new brand, we have to deploy effective publicity
strategies that would allow us be seen and known.

 Opportunities

The opportunities that abound for us in this industry is huge especially as the different
services that we would be offering would allow us have a huge share of the target
market and the other opportunities that will be made available to us that our international
customers have to offer. Our global ranking is enough for us to secure enough
opportunities that will allow for the growth of our company.

 Threats

Every business faces threats every now and then and so the threats that we are likely to
face in this mango exporting business is having to deal with changing government
policies regarding exports, dealing with falling value of the dollar which will see us not
making as much profit as we should, having to deal with the arrival of competitors
offering same services to the same target market, and also an economic downturn
globally that will cause consumers in the countries we export to, to spend less than they
usually do.

Mango Export Business Plan – MARKET ANALYSIS

 Market Trends

The trend when it comes to exporting of mangoes is that the mangoes are usually
harvested half ripe before being packed for export, this is due to the standard stipulated
by the international law on food by America and Europe. This is not to say however that
consumers in these countries don’t prefer that imported mangoes ripen with traces of
green. Those that distribute these mangoes in foreign countries prefer mangoes that
weigh between 225g and 400g.
Exporters often use various ways to ensure that the exported mangoes retain a longer
shelf life. Most exporters therefore favor freezing, which allows the fruit to retain its
original color and flavor. Another method is in preserving the fruits with preservative
solutions such as brine, sulphur oxide gas and any other approved solutions, even
though this increases the shelf life of the mangoes for more months, the color of the
mango is usually affected.

 Our Target Market

Even though the mangoes we source for are to be exported to certain countries, we
cannot, without conducting a market survey decide on which countries will be most
favorable to us. In this regard we intend to carry out a market survey in order to identify
what countries would most likely be beneficial to our business. The aim of the market
survey is to enable us understand our target market and know what it is they expect from
us.
According to our market survey, those that will be benefitting from our  exported
mangoes in the countries that we would be exporting to are; food industries, households,
beauty industries, drug industries, supermarkets and grocery stores, government
agencies, wholesalers and distributors.

 Our Competitive Advantage

Even though there are a number of people that engage in growing and selling these
mangoes locally, there are few who export these mangoes to international customers.
Our vision is to ensure that we become the preferred brand for all our international
customers through our quality products and services and to achieve this, we have laid
down plans and processes that will allow us have several competitive advantages
against our competitors.
Our sourcing, preservation and packaging of mangoes for our internal consumers is one
of the competitive advantages we have over our competitors. We have a purchasing
manager who knows all the credible suppliers of the best mangoes that were grown
organically and how to also get us the best deals.
Our facility is one of the best as we not only ensure that it is kept clean and well
ventilated, it is also well secured against theft and bugs, thereby ensuring that our
customers get mangoes that haven’t been contaminated in whatever manner. Also, the
fact that we offer additional services is a plus for us against our competitors.
Another competitive advantage that we have against our competitors is the fact that our
employees come with a vast amount of experience and proficiency and therefore
understand how to ensure that a start-up such as ours is able to achieve all its intended
goals and objectives, thereby becoming a force to reckon with nationally and
internationally. Our employees fully understand our policies and philosophies and are
committed to ensuring that we are able to achieve all that we set out to do.
We intend to ensure that our employees are well taken care of, as their welfare package
is the best amongst start-up categories such as ours here in the agro-processing and
allied cum agricultural industry. This high pay structure for our employees is one sure
way of ensuring that they not only remain committed to our business but remain
motivated to work in helping us attain our goals and objectives.
Mango Export Business Plan – SALES AND MARKETING STRATEGY

 Marketing Strategy and Sales Strategy

Marketing for every profit oriented organization is very important because this is one of
the major ways that they are able to generate the revenue that would not only sustain
but grow the business as well. Marketing is also used to create awareness for the
business which is why any serious organization takes its time to create effective
marketing strategies that would best suit the organization as well as ensure that a
marketing budget is kept separate to handle all the marketing affairs of the company.
In ensuring that we create the right marketing strategies for our business, we intend to
carry out a market survey that will allow us understand the industry we are going into,
who our target market is, what they are expecting from us and what we should expect
from them as well. This market survey we intend to carry out would allow us to penetrate
the market and get a large share. It would also allow us know how best we can
effectively compete against our competitors – either already established mango
exporters or ones that are just newly starting up.
Because we intend to have the most effective strategies, we have engaged the services
of a reputable and experienced marketing firm here in Lagos State who thoroughly
understands the sector we are in and the international stage we intend to play in and
who knows the right marketing strategies to help us create marketing strategies that
would not only be effective but allow us stand out.
We have also empowered our marketing team to ensure that every marketing strategy
created is in line with our corporate sales goal. In view of that, the following are the
marketing and sales strategies that we intend to adopt at Juicy Mangoes Exporter
Ventures;
  Formally introduce our company and the services we offer to intending customers
and target market from the database given to us by the National Exporting
Promotion Council (NEPC)
 Engage in massive adverts online especially in foreign agriculture and food blogs
and websites
 Create social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and Linkedin in order to
connect with our international audience
 Deliver consistent customer experience to all our clients and ensure that not only
are they satisfied but that they also refer us to others
 Use the email blast approach to penetrate our target market
 Create a website and ensure that our services are vigorously promoted and
advertised and then pay for a consultant to drive massive traffic to the site

Sources of Income
Juicy Mangoes Exporter Ventures is a mango exporting organization that has been
established with the sole aim of generating revenue and maximizing profit here in Apapa
– Lagos State and we intend to go all the way to ensure that we generate enough profit
to not only sustain the business but grow it as well.
Therefore our mango exporting organization will generate income by offering the
following services;

 Exporting of frozen mangoes

 Exporting of preserved mangoes
 Exporting of dried mangoes
 Consultancy and advisory services

Sales Forecast
Mango is regarded as the king of fruits globally because of the medicinal, dietary and
beautification purposes that the fruit offers, and that is why there will always be demand
year round from our various customers, which therefore leads to revenue generation and
increase for our business.
Our location here in Apapa – Lagos is very strategic as we are very close to the ports
and not too far from the airports. This will make us spend less to ensure that our
mangoes get to the ports or the airports. This has given us massive advantage over our
competitors who are located in the mainland or deep in the islands or even in other
states.
We have however carried out critical examination of the agro processing and allied
industry cum agricultural industry, in order to determine our chances at succeeding in
this business. Our analysis has allowed us to come up with an accurate sales forecast.
Our sales forecast was based on certain information and data garnered from already
established mango exporting organizations or new start-ups such as ours. We are
therefore confident that we would be able to make profit within the first year of business.
In view of this, the results that were gotten for Juicy mangoes Exporter Ventures based
on certain facts and assumptions from similar businesses such as ours here in Lagos
and all over Nigeria are below;

 First Fiscal Year-: N3,000,000

 Second Fiscal Year-: N5,500,000
  Third Fiscal Year-: N12,000,000

N.B: The above sales projections were done based on what was obtainable in the
industry as at that time and the assumptions used. The assumptions were that there
won’t be a global economic crises and that our naira would remain strong against the
dollar. Should any of the prevailing circumstances change, it would lead to an increase
or decrease in the figures stated above. 
Mango Export Business Plan – Publicity and Advertising Strategy
Having the right publicity strategy is very important for our business because we intend
to run a standard mango exporting business here in Apapa – Lagos that will not only
stand out but also allow us to compete favorably against our competitors, and so
creating the right awareness for our business is a must for us to grow and thrive in this
industry.
Due to the fact that we intend to get it right with our international audience, we have
hired the services of a reputable publicity and advertising company here in Apapa, who
have been long in this business and therefore possess the necessary experience that
would allow us not only generate the necessary revenue to grow and maintain our
business but also create the awareness that would enable us stand out and positively
communicate our brand.
The platforms we therefore intend to use in promoting and advertising our brand include;

 Place adverts on popular online blogs and websites in order to create awareness
about our business
 Use our social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and Linkedin to
massively promote our business
 Ensure that our mango exporting business is listed in online directories
 Pay an SEO consultant and a traffic generating expert to generate more traffic to
our website
 Write for blogs and websites and use that to promote our own business
 Send emails and e-newsletters to our target market

Our Pricing Strategy

There is no need to undergo a detailed deliberation on what our prices for our mangoes
would be, as various factors would determine how much we would export our mangoes
for. The factors are; the kind of mangoes we would be sourcing for, what purposes the
mangoes would be used for, what preservation and packaging method would we use
and also what our competitors are charging.
We are also mindful of the fact that our prices would be dependent on the stipulated
weight as set by our foreign distributors. The smaller weight would of course come with a
less price while the higher weight will be more expensive.
This is not to say that we would not offer other complimentary services based on what is
obtainable globally.

 Payment Options

Due to the fact that our customers are global, the payment options that would be made
available to them would not be too varied even as it intends to suit all the various
preferences that our customers are likely to have. Therefore the payment options that
we intend to make available to all our various customers here at Juicy Mangoes
Exporters Ventures are;

 Payment via online bank transfer

 Payment via online payment portal
 Payment via PayPal

The above payment options were deliberately chosen for us by our local bank here in
Nigeria and would ensure that we are able to conduct our business smoothly without any
hitches whatsoever. The payment options are also ones that would be very convenient
to all our customers.

 Start–Up Expenditure (Budget)

Even though we would not be involved in any production whatsoever, there are still
certain capital intensive costs that would be borne by us in the event of running our
mango exporting business. We would for instance need to source for mangoes,
transport them, rent a facility where we would store and preserve them before exporting
them to our customers.
We would also need to pay the employees and also settle certain bills that we would
incur during the cause of running the business. While our start-up capital will generally
define what scale we would be running our mango exporting business, several costs will
still remain in place regardless of the scale we would be on.
Also, the cost of doing business in Lagos must be taken into consideration as an
entrepreneur starting this same business elsewhere is likely to spend more or less
depending on several factors that would need to be considered. Therefore, below are
the requirements that we would need to consider and fulfill when starting our mango
export business;

 Total fee for registering our mango export business as a venture in Lagos State,
Nigeria – N25,000
 Obtaining of the necessary exporting licenses and permits, accounting and
inventory software as well as other legal expenses – N20,000
 Cost of hiring a business consultant – N30,000
 Insurance coverage (General liability, workers’ compensation, transportation
insurance, property insurance) – N25,000
 Marketing expenses for the promotion of the grand launching of Juicy Mangoes
Exporters Ventures as well as general marketing promotion expenses for at least
a year – N50,000
 Cost of renting a warehousing facility for use for at least two years and carrying
out the necessary renovations – N400,000
 Operational cost for the first three months (salaries of employees as well as
payment of bills) – N300,000
 Cost of purchasing a truck for use for picking mangoes from sources and
delivering to ports – N800,000
 Cost of preserving the mangoes (refrigerator, chemical solutions, local
dehydrator) – N500,000
 Cost of getting a KVA generating set – N300,000
 Cost of packaging (shelves, racks, cartons and wrappers) – N200,000
 Other start-up expenses (furniture, computers, printers, signage, cash register,
security and phones) – N100,000
  Cost of launching a website – N25,000
 Cost of throwing a launching party – N30,000
 Miscellaneous – N50,000

From the above estimate, we would need the sum of N2,855,000 in order to successfully
start-up and run a standard mango export business here in Apapa – Lagos. It should be
noted that the amount will cover renting a facility for the period of two years, buying a
truck, sourcing for and preserving the mangoes as well as paying the salaries of
employees for at least three months till the business is able to pay them itself.
Generating Funding/Startup Capital for Juicy Mango Exporters Business
Every business requires capital to start running and our exporting business is no
different. We know that for our business to become a reality, we would need to source
for the necessary finance that would allow us attain all our intended goals and
objectives. While it is not so easy for an entrepreneur to source for funds for his
business, it is not something that can be avoided.
Juicy Mangoes Exporters Ventures is a mango exporting business that is owned by
Alhaji Bintu Ahmed and his immediate family. Alhaji does not intend to seek external
partners for his mango exporting business, which is the reason why he has decided to
restrict the sourcing of his start-up capital to just three sources.
Therefore the areas where we intend to source for our start-up capital are;

 Generate part of the start-up capital from personal savings

 Source for soft loans from family members
 Apply for loan from the bank

N.B: We were able to generate the sum of N1 million from personal savings and the
sum of N855,000 from family members. After approaching the bank for a loan of N1
million to be repaid in 5 years and at a 3% interest rate, we have come to an agreement
as all documents approving the loan has been signed and we have been told that our
business account will be duly credited by the end of the week.
Mango Export Business Plan – Sustainability and Expansion Strategy
In order to sustain and grow our business and knowing how important the future of our
business is to us, we have put several factors into consideration such as the loyalty of
our customers, our standard of running the business, as well as our business structure.
The loyalty of our customers is very important to us and as such we have adopted a
customer care approach that is excellent. We have ensured that all our loyal customers
get incentives from us in a bid to increase their loyalty to us, and those that refer us to
other paying customers also get special incentives from us as well. We have a
responsive customer care that understands industry trends and is able to offer our
customers accurate information.
Due to the fact that we run a business that is global, we intend to ensure that our mango
sourcing, preservation and packaging methods are according to international best
practices. We also intend to set the pace as well in the industry, so we have employed
the best food technologist.
Our desire to build a solid business structure is borne out of excellence. We have gone
the extra mile to hire the best employees that have the right experience, attitude and
proficiency in running our mango exporting business successfully. Our employees also
understand the industry and will do all it takes to ensure that we attain all our intended
goals and objectives.
Check List/Milestone

 Business Name Availability Check: Completed

 Business Registration: Completed
 Opening of Corporate Bank Accounts: Completed
 Securing Point of Sales (POS) Machines: Completed
 Opening Mobile Money Accounts: Completed
 Opening Online Payment Platforms: Completed
 Application and Obtaining Tax Payer’s ID: In Progress
 Application for business license and permit: Completed
 Purchase of Insurance for the Business: Completed
 Conducting Feasibility Studies: Completed
 Generating capital from family members: Completed
 Applications for Loan from the bank: In Progress
 Writing of Business Plan: Completed
 Drafting of Employee’s Handbook: Completed
 Drafting of Contract Documents and other relevant Legal Documents: In
Progress
 Design of The Company’s Logo: Completed
 Graphic Designs and Printing of Packaging Marketing/Promotional Materials: In
Progress
 Recruitment of employees: In Progress
 Creating Official Website for the Company: In Progress
 Creating Awareness for the business both online and around the community: In
Progress
 Health and Safety and Fire Safety Arrangement (License): Secured
 Opening party/launching party planning: In Progress
 Establishing business relationship with vendors – wholesale
suppliers/merchants: In Progress
 Purchase of trucks: Completed

How to create wealth from mango

processing for export, local markets
By Femi Ibirogba

08 April 2019   |   3:38 am

Daystar launches feeding programme and donates protective equipment in response to COVID-19
1 day ago

NAFDAC alerts Nigerians on circulation of fake chloroquine 250mg tablets

1 day ago

NAFDAC warns against fake chloroquine tablets in circulation

7 hours ago
Fresh mangoes

Head of Agro-Economy Desk, FEMI IBIROGBA, writes on how seasonal and highly perishable
mangoes could be processed, preserved and used to create wealth for the processors and other
value chain players.

THEY are here now in abundance. They come every year. But more of them get wasted than
consumed or utilised. They are mangoes. The sweet mangoes.

Mangoes are tropical fruits usually available, like cashew, between February and June,
depending of ecological zones, regions and varieties of the fruit.

They are rich in fiber, vitamins and other micronutrients. And in Nigeria, they are cheaper
and mostly sold at give-away prices because industrialisation of the product has not been
deepened and direct consumption can hardly mop up the supply during the harvest periods,
forcing the farmers to sell cheaply.

The world production figures indicate that India is the largest producer with annual
production of about 16.4 million tonnes, accounting for 42.2 per cent. The country is also
ranked as the largest exporter of the fruit, either fresh or value-added.

China distantly follows India with a mango production figure of about 4.4 million metric
tonnes per year, accounting for about 11.2 per cent of the world total production.

In Nigeria, ranked the world 10th largest producer, about 800,000 metric tonnes of the fruit
are produced yearly, contributing about 3% to the world total production.

Of about eight varieties of mango available in Nigeria, the most widely acceptable is the
sweet and aromatic Ogbomosho/Enugu type.
The skin colour of the variety is usually bright yellow with orange and red blush, and the
flesh colour is yellowish, with an oblong shape.

The flavour is sweet with a hint of spice and the texture could be firm, soft and juicy as well
as fibrous flesh. Green overtones diminish and the yellow becomes more golden as the
mango ripens. This variety is good for chips and puree.

Reasons to consider dehydration of mangoes to elongate shelf life include opportunities to

create wealth by individual processors; job creation along the value chain; deepening of
mango utilisation and prevention of losses.

Reasons to invest in mango value addition

One of the main reasons to consider investments in mango value addition is to prevent post-
harvest losses. Poor value chain development, low industrialisation and non-availability of
storage devices, as well as inadequate electricity have contributed to high post-harvest losses
of most fruits and vegetables in Nigeria.

Tomatoes, oranges, leafy vegetables and many other perishable crops are lost in Nigeria
annually because of the above variables. These products become scarce and therefore
outrageously expensive off seasons. Adding value by processing into chips is one of the few
ways of making mangoes available in other forms round the year. It is also a way of
preventing massive post-harvest losses in the country.

Also, cheaper supply of raw materials presents an opportunity to process mangoes at a very
good profit margin. An agro-allied business consultant, Mr Anthonio John-Bede, said mango
chips are exported to Europe, America and Australia, apart from the opportunity of supplying
local juice companies.

The number of vegetarians is on the increase, creating an avenue for sale through
supermarkets and specialised outlets. Value addition, he said, could make hard-working
Nigerians to create wealth for themselves and the country through foreign exchange earnings.

More importantly, job creation along the value chain is a major consideration to explore
processing mangoes.

Deepening of mango utilisation by processing into chips would stimulate demand for the
fruit, forcing its price up and encouraging intensive cultivation of and investments in mango
plantations until demand and supply are stable and the price becomes normal.

The situation would facilitate productivity which, in turn, would create job opportunities from
cultivation, plantation maintenance, harvest, post-harvest management and marketing/sale.

Processing procedures
The Nigerian Stored Products Research Institute (NSPRI), which has done extensive research
on processing of mango flesh into chips, recommends that the fruits to be processed into
chips should mature and half ripe to maintain firmness while peeling and drying.

NSPRI, in a production manual made available to The Guardian, said dried mangoes could be
eaten as snacks and could be re-hydrated to produce mango juice, jam or drinks.
NSPRI recommends in the manual that a processor should “select fruits about to ripe or half
ripe; wash the fruits and peel; slice the pulp into small pieces and shape as desired.” The
dried chips, it added, must be packaged in food grade polythene bags and sealed to prevent
moisture re-absorption after packaging.

Additional income, INSPRI said, could be made from selling the peels as animal feeds and
extracting oil from mango seeds.

For construction of processing centres, conditions stipulated by the National Agency for
Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) must be followed, and selling the chips
to the international markets would require processors to work with the Nigerian Export
Promotion Council (NEPC) for export orientation and facilitation.

Sourcing raw materials and market for mango chips

A processor has two ways of sourcing mangoes for processing. One is to off-take from major
farm zones either directly from farmers or through the middlemen. The other way of sourcing
the fruit is by having mango plantations.

Chief Executive Officer of Benue Mango Flakes, Mr Isaac Sar, said the company sources
fresh mangoes from local farmers who produce locally and serve as out-growers.

“We buy fresh mangoes and process into chips and we sell the chips locally and they are
consumed as snacks.

“It is a very good business and we are planning to penetrate the international market too. We
are working on that. We are based in Gboko, Benue State,” he said.

Former National Coordinator of the West Africa Agricultural Productivity Programme

(WAAPP) Nigeria, Professor Damian Chikwendu, disclosed to The Guardian that Nigeria
could make huge foreign exchange earnings from processing and export of mango chips.

WAAPP Nigeria sponsored the design and fabrication of mango dryers before the project was
suspended because of the refusal of the Federal Government to contribute its counterpart
funds to the World Bank/Economic Community of West African States (WB/ECOWAS)
programme.

Processing equipment
To produce mango chips of standard and exportable qualities, solar, or electromechanical
dryers could be used.

Electromechanical dryers combine electricity to generate heat through in-built elements and
gas, kerosene or diesel burners with fans to circulate the heat in the ovum.

This device requires a stable source of power supply either through the public power utility
system or independent power plants (power generators).

The WAAPP Nigeria-sponsored electromechanical dryer has proved successful, and Prof.
Chikwendu added that one of the fabricators is the Lagos-based Nobex Technologies.
Speaking with The Guardian, Managing Director of Nobex Technologies, Lagos, Mr Idowu
Adeoya, said processors from West African countries had been purchasing the dryers, with a
few processors in Nigeria.

However, the use of diesel-powered dryers increases the cost of production and reduces the
profitability of the business.

On how the company processes the fruits, Benue Mango Flakes General Manager, Emmanuel
Torsar, said, “We use dryers that are diesel-powered and they are combinations of diesel and
electrical components.

“Drying depends on environmental humidity, but averagely, it takes 18 to 22 hours to dry.”

Alternatively, NSPRI presents an improved multi-purpose solar dryer, which has been
successfully used in drying tomatoes, mangoes and other agricultural products.

Dr Olayemi Folorunsho, Head of the Engineering Research of the institute, explained that the
solar dryer is made of transparent acrylic polythene materials which are able to generate solar
heat capable of drying most of the agricultural perishable crops.

On the dryer, Folorunsho said the technology would help in drastically reducing food wastage
in the country; would increase the profitability of farmers because they would have more
products to sell and they could sell at their desired period; and that after the cost of
assembling the dryer, the usage is cost-free because it neither uses diesel nor petrol or gas as
power source, making the device the most economical means of preserving food so far.

Mango chips, peppers, tomatoes and onions are dried in about three to five days in a very
hygienic condition.

Dr Adeola Olufemi Oyebanji, one of the researchers at the institute, said, “We have improved
drying options. The latest one now is what we call the parabolic-shaped solar dryer. It is a
large-scale device for productivity.”

He explained that NSPRI had developed other cost-effective and small-scale dryers to ensure
products are dried to acceptable levels as part of integrated post-harvest management to
prevent losses.

He added that the institute had used it to dry tomatoes, which it assessed as retaining all the
nutritional components. Nutritional analysis of mango chips processed with the solar dryer,
however, had not been carried out, the institute said.

“The dryer has just been developed and is undergoing uses for various crops,” the Oyebanji
said.

Comparatively, the solar dryer is not only more economical but also more environment-
friendly than other forms of dryers such as flash dryer, gas dryer or hybrid dryer.

The other dryers use electricity, diesel/kerosene or gas to power the ovum, thereby
contributing to one form of environmental pollution or the other, while solar drying system is
absolutely renewable and eco-friendly.