Garri is one of the major products produced from cassava tubers and is the commonest staple food in Nigeria consumed by over 350 million people. We consume about 13.9 million metric tons of
To be honest with you, the demand for Garri is very huge; no wonder it is a lucrative business to consider. Even the elites are also eying the business.
Garri is produced in the rural areas (where cassava is grown) by the local women. The young people are not interested because of the stress and the drudgery involved in the traditional production.
However, cassava used for making Garri is grown in the tropics and subtropical zones.
Reason For Starting Garri Production Business
There are so many reasons to consider this business; some of which are listed below.
- The raw materials are readily available in Nigeria
- We have the technical know-how here in Nigeria too
- Garri does not expire
- Garri is eaten by all states and tribes in Nigeria
- Garri does not require any preservatives
- Garri does not require much for packaging
Machines Needed For Garri Processing
- Peeling machine
- Hydraulic press
- Grinder
- Fryer
Materials Needed For Garri Processing
- Bowls
- Water
- Turner
- Sack bags
Step By Step Procedure To Garri Processing
Step 1: GET CASSAVA ROOTS
You can either harvest matured cassava from your farm if you have one or locate a place where you can be buying the cassava roots consistently. However, if you are not shredding the cassava roots immediately. A case where the quantity of cassava harvested cannot be transported
Step 2: PEELING
Peeling the cassava root simply means removing the back of the cassava root, which can either be done manually or mechanically with a peeling machine. Using the peeling machine will only make the peeling process faster.
However, the peeling machine can not peel a curve cassava root properly. I mean, the peeling machine can only peel straight cassava root.; which means you will still have to pay a laborer to finish the curved cassava
As you are peeling the cassava make sure you put them inside water so that it will maintain its white color. If not, they will change color and become greenish dark or dirt will stink to it and make it difficult to wash off easily.
Wash the peeled cassava with clean and plenty water 2-3 times to make sure all the dirt and sand are wash off. You can use a washing machine or use your hand to wash them in a trough, big bowls etc.
Step 3: GRINDING
At this stage, you just have to take the washed cassava roots to the grinding machine. Then pack the slurry inside big sack bags with pores; they shouldn’t be too plenty so they can dry quickly. You can use as many
Step 4: PRESSING
The is where you remove all the water in the slurry; unfortunately, you will need Hydraulic press to do this; as it cannot be done manually. This will be left for some hours until the water stops coming out.
Step 5: FILTERING
Filter the cake that is gotten from the slurry into flour. There are two types of filter; the manual and mechanical. The same machine used to grind the roots can be used to filter the cake. But it is mostly not good for consumption because it makes the end product to be too smooth. This the reason why many factories prefer manual filter. It is constructed by hand like basket but iron is used for that.
Step 6: FRYING
This can either be done by using a big frying pot or a fryer to fry the filtered cassava cake, depending on the size and time available. Although, the pot for frying Garri might not be perfect for a huge quantity; so, I suggest you get the mechanically constructed ones that have a large flat surface which uses; electricity, firewood and gas power.
The cassava flour is put inside the pot, someone keeps turning the flour intermittently until it becomes dried. If you want yellow Garri, you need to add red oil to it while frying; otherwise, you are going to end up with a white Garri. However, some people preferred to add the oil to the slurry before pressing, so it becomes more uniform.