MORINGANEWS

This document was produced with the financial assistance of CTA. The ideas expressed in it are those
of the authors and cannot be considered as the opinion of CTA.
Economic sheet on production of Moringa leaf powder
Case in Togo: Monocropping of Moringa by farmers and leaf processing by women.
Kokou Ametepe Sogbo (APPEF), Baptiste Dolidon et Armelle de Saint Sauveur (Moringanews)
! "osts o# trans#orming leaves into powder
Pro$ess o# making powder
% as soon as possible a#ter t&e &arvest (t&e same da') t&e leaves are laid out to dr' in t&e
dr'ing works&op(
% ) da's a#ter t&e #olioles are separated #rom t&e petioles and set ba$k out to dr'(
% a#ter * to + da's o# additional dr'ing, t&e women $olle$t t&e dried leaves #rom t&e works&op
and pound it in mortars(
% t&e powder is t&en sieved(
% a#ter sieving, t&e powder is pa$kaged in transparent plasti$ bags $losed wit& a knot!
,ransport
-&atever t&e produ$tion, it re.uires between a &al# and a #ull da' to transport t&e $rop o#
#res& leaves #rom t&e #ield to t&e drier! Ea$& &arvest $an be transported in one trip! ,&e $osts
below $an also be $onsidered #or // kg o# #res& leaves!
Table 1: Cost of transporting fresh leaves from the place of culture to the drying/transformation area.
Place of culture armers
!istance to the
drier "in #m$
Cost of a trip "in C%$
mer$&andise person total
,$&ekpo
Assinou 0
1iamad2ro
3 // )// &''
Esse ,$&atte 4 *// 5 +// +4/ ()' * +)'
6agali 7A8" )// *// )''
Dogli 3 // )// &''
Amado 9 // )// &''
,rans#ormation o# dried leaves into powder and pa$kaging
,&e dr'ing o# // kg o# #res& leaves in t&e drier re.uires between : and )/ &ours o# work,
breaking down as #ollows;
% ) &ours #or + women, or : &ours to load t&e drier and spread t&e leaves(
% : &ours to plu$k t&e leaves a#ter two da's dr'ing(
% less t&an one &our #or + women, or + &ours, to take out t&e dried leaves at t&e end o# t&e
dr'ing pro$ess!

Table ,: -ield of transformation of fresh Moringa oleifera leaves into powder. and wor# time.
-eig&t o#
#res&
leaves (in
kg)
,ransport
time (in
&ours)
-ork time
re.uired
#or dr'ing
(in women
&ours)
-eig&t o#
powder
(in kg)
-ork time
re.uired #or
pounding
(in woman
&ours)
-ork time re.uired #or
pa$kaging (in women
&ours)
,otal work
time (in
women
da's)
B' kg
bag
B' //
gramme
bags
// + : 5 )/ ),+ 9,4 4 9 5 < +,4 5 4,4
9) + ) <,<) + * / +
4,4 + % ,3* % % %
6ote; ,&is data $omes #rom readings taken at one time in a bat$& o# 9) kg o# #res& leaves, t&e work #or$e was
made up o# + women #or ea$& o# t&e stages (e=$ept #or t&e transport)!
>ne woman w&o pounds t&e dried leaves produ$es !3* kg o# powder?&our!
,&e work time re.uired #or pa$kaging depends on t&e si2e o# t&e bags used; pa$kaging in
small bags re.uires mu$& more time!
,&e total work time re.uired #or trans#ormation a$tivities is between +!4 and 4!4 women da's
#or // kg o# #res& leaves (or )!+ kg o# powder)!
,&e time re.uired #or trans#ormation and pa$kaging o# a kilogramme o# powder $an be
estimated at *!* women &ours o# work (4 da's = : &ours ? )!+)!
)! Destination o# leaves and selling pri$e
Sale o# #res& leaves
>n rural markets, a #ist#ul o# #res& leaves is sold #or )4F "FA like ot&er vegetable leaves!
Moringa is in t&e same pri$e range as ot&er leaves #or $ooking sold in ,ogo, or an average </
F"FA?kg!
-&olesale bu'ers $ome #rom @omA to bu' #res& leaves #rom produ$ers! ,&e average pri$e #or
t&e moment is around </ F"FA?kg #or t&e pur$&ase o# a $omplete &arvest beside t&e #ield!
Sale o# powdered leaves
,&e &ospital at ,abligbo is beginning to bu' dried lea# powder #or a pri$e o# 4// F"FA?kg!
,&e &ospital t&en sells t&e powder to patients in small bags (4/ F"FA?//g, or #or )4g
$onsumed per da', )9) F"FA?week, or /!+/B?week)!
Private individuals also bu' t&e powder #rom APPEF #or ///F"FA?kg! ,&is pri$e was
re$entl' in$reased to 4// F"FA?kg!
*! Pro#its #rom t&e sale o# powdered leaves b' APPEF
7iven t&e var'ing 'ields depending on t&e plot, we &ave assumed several produ$tion
&'pot&eses per &e$tare! Produ$tion s&ould in$rease in t&e se$ond 'ear, a$$ording to data
$olle$ted in ot&er $ountries!
,&e $osts not paid #or b' t&e produ$ers are t&e bu'ing o# seed (donated as part o# t&e proCe$t)
and $onstru$tion o# t&e dr'ing s&elter (subsid' o# *//B and $ontribution in kind #rom APPEF
#or some o# t&e work and wood)!
)
,&e $osts are taken #rom tables alread' presented (see produ$tion o# #res& leaves in ,ogo), #or
// kg o# #res& leaves produ$ed!
Table &: Production and transformation costs for 1'' #g of fresh transformed leaves
"C%$
-ear 1 -ear ,
-ield/ha "#g$ 4,/// :,/// +,/// :,/// 9,///
Plot installation /
maintenance costs the 1st
year :,::3 4,449 *,<4
Maintenance costs in
subse0uent years *,4// ,<4/
1arvest cost ) 4+4 , 43/ 3/3 , 43/ <34
Transport costs 4// 4// 4// 4// 4//
Processing costs ),/// ),/// ),/// ),/// ),///
Pac#aging costs ,/// ,/// ,/// ,/// ,///
Total costs for 1'' #g of
fresh leaves processed in
1,.2 #g of powder 12.3&2 1'.424 (.)+2 +.)3' 4.'2)
Table 2: Profit per #ilo of powdered leaves produced
Total costs for 1 #g of
powder "table & /1,.2$ 1.,'2.&) +)+.)) 411.41 43,.(2 2+(.)'
Total labour costs for 1 #g of
powder ,9+!/* ::!)* 4<!)3 94)!+) ++<!:
Profit/#g from sale at 1'''
C%/#g 5,'2.&) 121.2) &++.&3 &'(.,4 )1,.)'
Profit/#g from sale 1)''
C%/#g ,3).4) 421.2) +++.&3 +'(.,4 1 '1,.)'
*
Table ): Profit per hectare from the sale of powdered leaves
-ield of leaves/ha 4, /// :, /// +, /// :, /// 9, ///
-ield of powder/ha
"1,.26$ 9)/ 33) , <*9 33) , 3:+
Profit per ha from
sale at 1''' C%/#g
"profit/#g 7 -ield/ha$ %)9,<// +/,*)/ 9<+,)+/ */+,:// ,/9,://
in 8 5 13&.1) 8 ,1&.3, 8 1 ',(.+( 8 242.44 8 1 ))'.1' 8
Profit per ha from
sale at 1)'' C%/#g :*, *// 9*9, *)/ , 4+), )+/ ://, :// ), //:, ://
in 8 ,(3.22 8 3('.'' 8 ,.&)1.1& 8 1.,,'.+1 8 &.'4,.2' 8
9ales per ha from
sale of fresh leaves at
(' C%/#g *4/, /// 49/, /// 3:/, /// 49/, /// , )/, ///
Production costs of
fresh leaves/ha 4<, <// 4<, 9:/ 4<, <9/ +/<, )// +/<, )//
Profit from sale of
fresh leaves beside
the field "C%$ 5,,1. ('' 511. 4+' 2'+. ,2' 1),. +'' (1,. +''
in 8 5 &&(.3+ 8 5 1(.+1 8 4,,.&4 8 ,&,.32 8 1 '+4.44 8
Capital gain of
processing/ha from
sale at 1''' 34, /// 4), /// )99, /// 4), /// */+, ///
Capital gain of
processing/ha from
sale at 1)'' +/4, /// 9+:, /// , *+, /// 9+:, /// , )39, ///
2. Conclusions
,&e produ$tion o# powdered Moringa leaves is ver' pro#itable in t&e APPEF%,ogo
proCe$t w&en selling #or 4// F"FA?kg, even wit& a relativel' low 'ield o# 4,///
kg?&a! Pro#its are &ig&er t&an in 6iger, w&i$& #armers in t&e region o# 6iame' alread'
$onsider ver' good!
"onversel', at /// F"FA?kg, t&e sale o# powder is onl' pro#itable wit& &ig& 'ields; at
least :,/// kg?&a, and better over /,/// kg?&a!
,&e sale o# #res& leaves beside t&e #ield at </ F"FA?kg generates losses t&e #irst 'ear
#or 'ields ranging #rom 4,/// to :/// kg?&a!
+
-it& &ig& 'ields t&e #irst 'ear and as o# :,///kg?&a t&e se$ond 'ear, t&e sale o# #res&
leaves generates revenues! ,&e pro#its are $omparable to t&ose in 6iger #or a 'ield o#
onl' 9,/// kg?&a ($ompared wit& +<,+// kg?&a in 6iger), be$ause produ$tion $osts
are lower (no pa$kaging or transport)!
,&e $apital gain #rom trans#ormation is ver' interesting!
Produ$tion $osts primaril' $onsist o# labour $osts, and i# t&e #amil' works (w&i$& is
generall' t&e $ase), pro#its are greater t&an indi$ated in tables : and 3! So, one $an sa'
t&at t&e sale o# powdered leaves rewards t&e #amil'Ds work and provides a pro#it!
Moringa produ$ers &ave several possible options #or selling;
Sale o# #res& leaves beside t&e #ield #or se$ond%'ear produ$ers or produ$ers wit& &ig&
'ields t&e #irst 'ear
Sale o# powdered leaves at ,4// F"FA?kg
Possible sale o# lea# powder at ,/// F"FA?kg #or an' e=$ess #or produ$ers wit& &ig&
'ields
,&e $&oi$e o# trans#ormation depends largel' on t&e available labour, as t&at is t&e main $ost!
A #amil' w&i$& $an do t&e trans#ormation itsel# &as ever' interest to sell t&e powder, to $reate
$apital gain and #urt&er reward t&e #amil'Ds work!!
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