CHALLENGES OF FRUIT DRINK PROCESSING IN NIGERIA (A CASE STUDY OF LIFE BREWERIES NIGERIA LIMTED ONITSHA)
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.0 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Project in the fruit drink processing both establish and forthcoming are aimed at solving a Very clearly identified development problem.
The raw material producer, due to insufficient demand, week infrastructure, poor transportation and perishable nature of produce lose substantial money. During the post-harvest glut, the loss is imaginable and often the fruit have to be fed to animals or allow rotting.
Even establishment Fruit processing canning factories or Small/Medium scale processing centre’s suffer huge loss due to erratic supplies. The grower may like to sell his produce in the open market table purpose or the produce may not be of good enough quality for processing even though it is adequate for table use and these results in a grave underutilization of processing capacities.
The main objective of fruit processing is to supply wholesome ,safe, nutritious and acceptable food to consumers throughout the year fruit
processing project also aim to replace import of products such a squashes, jams, tomato sauces etc,besides earning foreign exchange by exporting finished goods or semi-processing products.
The fruit processing activities was set up or have to be established in developing countries for one or other of the following reason:
– Diversification of the economy , in order to reduce their present dependence on important products
– Industrialization policy of the government
– Reduction of imports and meeting export demands;
– Stimulate agricultural production by obtaining marketable consumers products;
– Generate both rural and urban employment
– Reduce Fruit Losses;
– Improve farmers nutrition by self consumption of processing Fruit during off season
– Generate new income for farmer/artisans;
– Develop new value-added products
WHAT FRUIT CAN BE PROCESSED
Practically any Fruit can be processed, but some important factors (which determine whether it is to be processed or not) are the following:
(a) The demand for a particular Fruit in the processed form
(b) The quality of law material i.e. whether it can stand processing
(c) Regular supplies of raw material.
For example, a particular variety of Fruit which may be excellent to eat fresh is not necessary good for processing. Processing requires frequent handling, high temperature and pressure.
Any of the ordinary table varieties of tomatoes for instance, are not suitable for making paste or other processed products. A particular mango or pineapple may be very taste at the table but when it goes to processing centre it may fail to standup to processing requirements due to variation in quality, size, maturity, variety and so on. Even when a variety is suitable, it is not reliable for processing but less regular and large supplies are made available. An important processing centre or
factory cannot be planned to depend only on seasonal gluts; although it can take care of the glut, it will not run economically unless regular supplies are guaranteed.
To operate a fruit processing centre efficiently it is of utmost importance, to pre-organize growth, collection and transportation suitable raw material either on the nucleus farm basis or using out growers.
Processing Planning
The secret of a well planned fruit processing centre is that it must be designed for operation for as many months during the year as possible. This means the facilities, the buildings, the material handling and the equipment itself must be interlinked and coordinated properly to allow as many products as possible to be hand led at same time, and yet the equipment must be versatile enough to be able to handle products without major alteration.
A typical processing renter or factory should process four or five types of fruit harvested at different time of the year and two or three
fruits. This processing unit must also be capable of handling dried/dehydrated finished products, juices, pickles tomato juice, ketchup and paste, jam, and semi-processed fruit products.
Advanced planning is necessary to process a rang of product in varied weather and temperature condition each requiring a special set of manufacturing and packaging formula. The end result of the effort should be a well managed processing unit with lower initial investment.
Location
The Basic objective is to choose the location which minimizes the average product cost, including transporting and handling. It is
advantageous, other things being equal, to locate a processing unit near the fresh raw material supply. It is a necessity for proper handling of perishable raw material, it allows the processing unit to leave the product to mature to its best stage, and lessens injury form handling and deterioration from changes during long transport after harvesting.
An adequate supply of good water, availability of manpower,
proximity to rail or road transport market is other important requirement.
Possessing Systems
A. Small scale processing-This is done by small scale farmers for personal subsistence or sale in a nearby market. In this system, processing requires little investment: however, it is time consuming and tedious.
B. Intermediate- scale processing: In this scale of processing, a group of small scale processor pools their resources. This can also be done by individuals processing in based on the technology used by small processor with differences in the type and capacity of equipment used. The raw materials are usually grown by such processors or purchase on contact from farmers. These operations are usually location at the site of production to assume raw materials availability and reduce cost of transport. This system of processing can provide quantities of processed products to urban areas.
C. Large scale processing: Processing in this system is highly merchandised and requires a substantial supply of raw material for
economical operation. This system requires a large capital investment and high technical and managerial skills. Because of high
demand for foods in the recent years many large scale factories were established in developing countries some successful but majority failed.
Perhaps the most important reason for failure was lack of adequate quantity and regular of raw materials to factories. Despite the failure of these commercial operations, it is felt that they can succeed with better planning and management, along with the undertaking of more independent feasibility studies.
It can be concluded that all the three type of processing system have a place in developing countries to complement crop production to meet food demand. Historically, however, small and intermediate scale processing proved to be more successful than large scale processing in developing countries.
1.2 STATEMENT OF PROBLEM
There are huge risk and pressure involved in starting and running a successful business. Everybody who run their own business will tell you
over and over that it’s so much harder than you could have possible ever imagine, and you are they right, but know you will be able to handle it After all, you are not afraid of bit of hard work.
But there are many variables that comes together to make a business
work.
You have to consider everything before taking the proverbial plunge into the big-and-sometimes bad world of running your own business. The pressure of being self employed is huge and you can’t get away from them as easily as quitting a job. It’s like a job is “renting” and starting you own business “getting a mortgage”. You take on responsibility that is harder to get out are investing more in your future. Of courses, running own successful business is harder than getting a mortgage (although some first time buyers may disagree).
From dealing with no human interaction or cabin fever’ when working from home, to working longing long and unsociable hours, getting it debt and dealing with non-polite customer politely. The researchers do not think that there is any small business owners who haven’t experienced the “tearing hair out” feeling many times.
An investor must consider the possible stresses and strains of setting up and running his own business and weigh up all the pros and cons before spending anytime on you own idea. You need to be realistic. Never underestimate how hard it’s going to be. You are your sales, your admin, your company secretary—wearing 15 hats and accomplishing them aii is very difficult. It is easier to be an employee than an employer but if you have driven and honest with yourself, and evaluate what you really want, it is worth it. If you are considering being an entrepreneur, remember it’s easier to work in corporate situation.
If your whole being is not telling you that you have got to launch your own business, don’t do it. Because it will totally consume you and you are not going to be to a good daughter, or have lots of time for your friends, and your a
