How To Start A Maize Farming Business and The Business Plan

Maize farming is a key pillar in addressing Zimbabwe’s food security concerns. Maize is a staple food crop for Zimbabwe and accounts for over 50% of the country’s average calorie consumption. In a population of 15.2 million people, a family of 6 derive 10% of their monthly food consumption value from maize. The animal feed industry also makes use of maize as a main energy source for 60% of its products sustaining 40 million broilers and a dairy herd of about 23,000 annually. All in all, an estimated 2.1 million MT of the commodity is consumed in the country annually across board.

In Zimbabwe, maize farming is popular in over 90% of farming households distributed across the country. The crop constitutes over 60% of the country’s total land area under crop cultivation. It claims close to 90% of the total land area under cereal production. In the overall economy, the crop contributes about 14% to agricultural GDP and is second to tobacco, which contributes about 26%. Maize is thus considered a strategic commodity in the Zimbabwean economy, as a food security crop and agro-industrial processing.

All agro-ecological regions of Zimbabwe are conducive for maize farming all though yields tend to be higher in certain regions as compared to others. The crop attracts sizeable investments from diverse farmer categories (communal, Old Resettlement (OR), A1, A2, Small Scale Commercial and Peri-Urban farmers) largely because of its strategic role as a staple food crop. We strongly believe you are some what interested in the crop and for whatever reason you are reading this article, below are some of considerations you should take note of before you decide to start your maize farming business.

Make Your Decision

You have to decide on your desired farming scale in hectors, the type of maize you want to plant, the season for planting as well as your target market profile. Before anything else, it is largely encouraged that you conduct a feasibility study assessing your capacity to successfully and competitively grow the crop. Generally, the amount of maize you may farm is largely dependent on your financial muscle, available land and target market. Market research is also critical and it is equally true for the need to conduct proper business planning. Your success in maize farming is dependent on your capacity to adequately plan for the venture. This article attempts to shed light on how you can plan for a successful maize farming business. For comprehensive analysis of the maize farming industry, consider getting the maize farming business plan for just US$10 payable via ecocash.

Farming Inputs

The maize farming business requires quite a number of farming inputs which include adequate land, labour, seed, agrochemicals and well suiting machinery. To operate a successful maize farming business you will mostly need a high yielding seed whose properties match your soil profile, desired growing season and available moisture.

Farmers have a broad category of maize seed varieties to pick from. Maize seed varieties include the early maturing, ultra early maturing, medium maturing and late maturing breeds. From these, the most popular among farmers in Zimbabwe are the hybrid high yielding varieties and some late maturing varieties.

As a farmer you should always get your seeds from reputable suppliers. The market is awash with counterfeit seeds which could affect the overall performance of your maize farming business. In general, maize will mature in 90-130 days depending on the selected variety. The Pioneer P2809W reaches flowering stage in 56 days while the Seedco`s SC403 requires about 130 days to reach full physiological maturity.

Land Requirements

For optimum performance, maize requires deep well drained and fertile soils and a total seasonal rainfall that exceeds 500mm. Successful maize farming is determined by good land preparation and a controlled tillage system. Proper land preparation ensures that the maize is planted on soils that support proper water infiltration and optimum root development. Soil should also be taken for an in-depth analysis so as to ascertain its overall properties. However, maize will grow well in soil with a pH of 5.5 – 6.5. Anything outside of this pH range will result in poor plant development characterised by inefficient soil nutrient conversion.

Managing Pests And Weeds

Maize is commonly affected by pests such as the fall army worm and the maize stalk borer. It is therefore important that you make use of the best pesticides so as to have a pest free maize crop. You will also need to ensure that your maize crop is kept as weed free as possible. Weeds, if left unattended to will negatively impact the overall yield of your maize crop. Therefore, to ensure for a weed free maize crop use herbicides.

Fertilisation Program

To ensure for the efficient growth and development of your maize crop you need to apply adequate fertilisers. It is critical that the maize fertilisation program be informed by prior soil sampling. Soil sampling will give you guidelines on the quantities and types of fertiliser to use on your crop.

Labour And Machinery Requirements

You will need adequate labour and mechanical power in order to have a successful maize production business. Outside of having permanent salaried workers, you will need to hire on demand/part time farm labour. The same also applies for the machinery you will need for ploughing the land, planting and harvesting stages among other critical stages in maize production. This is meant to control farm expenditures as these units of production are paid based on use ( i.e the number of days worked on the farm.

Maize Marketing

As has been mentioned above, maize is the staple food for Zimbabwe hence it will always have a ready market. Depending on your yields, target market may include but not limited to, the Grain Marketing Board(GMB), grain millers, boarding schools, middlemen including transporters, breweries as well as animal feed manufactures. It is noteworthy that the retell price will vary depending with your target market. Although government takes up the responsibility of setting maize base prices, the unaligned structure of maize production creates room for a lot of side marketing. Hence it is important that farmers make due diligence in researching and deciding where to market their maize for improved profitability. Most importantly, the basic profits you stand to obtain from you maize agribusiness will depend on your input cost structure, overall yield and the final selling price.

Now that you know a bit about maize farming in Zimbabwe, you might as well learn more from our comprehensive maize farming business plan.

The Maize Farming Business Plan

Our maize business plan is tailor made for individuals seeking detailed and most recent information about maize farming in Zimbabwe. You can purchase the maize farming business plan for just US$10 payable via Ecocash. You can either get it as a pre-written document or request for a customised version of the business plan at an extra charge. The customised business plan requires that you furnish us with your specific details and area of interest. Our maize business plan is bankable and contains information on how to successfully manage your production cycles, and prepare for future possible risks associated with the business.

With our business plan, you will ultimately find it easy to plan and budget for your Maize farming business. It will help you better navigate the maize value chain so you may be able to strategically position your farming business for improved profitability. As the old saying goes, failing to plan equates to planning to fail. With our maize production business plan, you will be fully informed of what is needed to successfully operate a maize agribusiness.

The Business Plan Contents

Our business plan contains following subsections as listed below and more:

• Operational Requirements
• Planning For Sustainable Farming
• Target Market Analysis
• Marketing Strategy
• Advertising & Promotion Plans
• Competition Analysis
• SWOT analysis
• PSTEL Analysis
• Risk Analysis
• Financial Statements

Purchasing The Maize Farming Business Plan

You can get a soft copy package of the maize farming business plan for just US$10 payable via Ecocash. The business plan package contains 5 files listed below:

1. Maize Farming Business Plan Comprehensive Version – PDF

2. Maize Farming Business Plan Comprehensive Version – WORD

3. Maize Farming Business Plan Short Bank/Grant Application Version – WORD

4. Maize Farming Business Plan Financial Statements – EXCEL

5. A Business Model Design Template – WORD

You will receive the business plan package via email and/or WhatsApp. To make the purchase, contact us first via Call/WhatsApp: +263782 594 434. WhatsApp Link: https://wa.me/message/YNZABXT73VBWF1 [Mobile users Only]