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Cucumber Farming Profit in Nigeria: How 80 Bags Can Earn You Over ₦1 Million In 2026
Cucumber is a fast, high-return crop you can start earning from quickly. With the right variety and care you can begin harvesting as early as 5–7 weeks, and pick fruits every 2–4 days while the vines keep producing. Below is a practical but simple guide (fresh for 2026) that covers how to grow cucumbers, realistic yields and prices in Nigeria, a clear money example using your 80-bag figure, and practical tips to turn it into a business.
Why cucumber is a great money crop in 2026
The fact remains that Cucumber has fast maturity. Many salad cucumber varieties that start producing marketable fruits in about 35–60 days. You can have repeated harvests. The plants produce over several weeks if you harvest regularly (every 2–4 days). Regular picking increases total yield.
Also, it is good to know that Cucumber has high demand and seasonality. Cucumber sells well year-round but prices rise in the dry season when supply is lower. Recent Nigerian reports show strong farm-gate prices (example: average ₦13,200 per bag in 2024) and very healthy profits on commercial farms.
Quick money example (your numbers + market context)
A recent research I did: From about 1,173 plants I get about 80 bags of cucumber. And bags sell for ₦10,000–₦20,000 (2024 reference). Do the maths:
> 80 bags × ₦10,000 = ₦800,000
> 80 bags × ₦20,000 = ₦1,600,000
So with 1,173 plants and 80 bags harvested, gross revenue is ₦800k–₦1.6M depending on price. For comparison, a commercial example from Nigeria (15,000 plants - 1,100 bags) sold at ₦13,200 per bag, giving total revenue ≈ ₦14.52M and a reported net profit after costs of around ₦11.72M. This shows how profitable cucumber can be at scale when done right.
Step-by-step: How to grow cucumbers (simple, practical)
Below is a clear planting and care plan you can use.
1. Choose the right variety
For quick cash sales choose early-maturing salad/slicing varieties or hybrid varieties advertised as “35–60 days to harvest.” These give quick returns.
2. Land & soil
Well-drained, fertile soil; pH 6.0–7.5 is ideal. Add compost or well-rotted manure before planting.
3. Seed rate & spacing
Many commercial growers plant several thousand plants per hectare. One example said 10,000 seeds per acre (plus extras for mortality). Space vining types about 30–60 cm between plants (trellised); bush types need a bit more space. Trellising saves ground space and reduces disease.
4. Planting method
Direct seed in warm soil or transplant strong seedlings. Planting depth 1–2 cm. Use plastic mulch + drip irrigation for best yields and water efficiency.
5. Water & irrigation
Keep soil consistently moist (not waterlogged). Drip irrigation is best for commercial beds; frequent shallow watering helps fruit set.
6. Nutrition & fertiliser
Do not forget to feed regularly - balanced NPK at early growth, then higher potassium and phosphorus as flowers and fruits set. Follow package or local extension recommendations. Some commercial farms use scheduled fertilizer + foliar feeds to boost production.
7. Pest & disease control
Common problems of Cucumber are known to be from powdery mildew, downy mildew, mosaic viruses, aphids, cucumber beetles. You can use disease-resistant varieties, good spacing, crop rotation, and approved fungicides/pesticides when necessary. Clean seed and healthy nursery practices help prevent early losses.
9. Harvesting
Harvest when fruit are firm, green and at size recommended on the seed packet. Harvest frequently (every 2–4 days) to encourage continuous production. Use clean cutters to avoid vine damage.
How to pack and sell for best price
1. Sell by the bag to markets, wholesalers, or agro-buyers. Farm gate price in 2024 averaged around ₦13,200 per bag in one Nigerian case study.
2. Retail / direct to consumers: You can sell smaller quantities at higher per-kg prices but it takes more time and labour. Market the freshness and hygiene to get premium prices.
3. Know About Timing. Especially during dry season, can push prices higher, plan off-season production (greenhouse/drip) to capture premium prices.
Realistic yields & timelines
Many salad cucumbers mature in 35–60 days; greenhouse varieties can take longer but give higher continuous yields. Harvest starts at ~6 weeks for some varieties.
And one thing to be said is that, yield per plant varies widely (variety, care, climate). Some farmers report single plants producing several kilograms across the season; field yields per hectare often range from 8–160 tonnes per hectare depending on conditions and season. Commercial reports (Nigeria) show 15,000 plants producing 1,100 bags on one farm.
Simple profit checklist (for my 80-bag example)
1. Gross revenue (80 bags): ₦800,000–₦1,600,000 (use your local market price).
2. Subtract costs: seeds, land prep, fertiliser, labour, irrigation, pest control, packing, transport. (Example farm spent ₦2.8M for 15,000 plants). Calculate your local input costs to get net profit.
3. Scale: profits grow non-linearly with scale, commercial farms can get much higher total returns because fixed costs spread over more plants.
Practical tips to increase income fast
1. Use early-maturing hybrid seeds for quick cash cycles.
2. Trellis plants to save space, improve fruit quality and reduce disease.
3. Drip irrigation + plastic mulch to increase yields and reduce water use.
4. Stagger plantings (plant every 2 weeks) for continuous harvests and steady cash flow.
5. Target high-paying buyers: hotels, supermarkets, and urban markets often pay more for clean, consistent supply.
Risks and how to manage them
> For pests & disease, use resistant varieties, sanitation, and timely sprays.
> Try and avoid Fake/poor fertilizers & inputs. Always buy from reputable suppliers, one Nigerian farmer reported losses to fake fertilizer.
> Also remember, market price swings. Try diversify buyers and consider processing (pickling) or preservation to reduce spoilage and price risk.
Closing - next steps & offer
Cucumber is an excellent cash crop if you follow good practices. Your 1,173-plant 80-bag result already shows strong earning potential (₦800k–₦1.6M gross at ₦10k–₦20k per bag). If this sounds interesting, two quick next steps:
Ask me any question now - I can help you turn your 80-bag example into a simple budget (costs vs profits), make a planting schedule, choose varieties and calculate seed and fertiliser needs.
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Agro-based farming