How To Start A Lucrative Dry Kpomo (Cow Skin) Production Business In Nigeria: The Complete Guide

How To Start Dry Kpomo (Cow Skin) Business In Nigeria Or Africa: Guide | Image Source: Maestro
Kpomo is processed cow skin, which makes up about 35% of the entire meat produced in a cow. Over the years, it has been essential to lots of consumers in industries such as the food industry, cosmetic industry, pharmaceutical industry and more especially, in leather works.
Raw hides and skins, even leather, are one of the most exported non-oil products in Nigeria, generating about $75.3 million as total revenue.
Nigeria consumes about 1 million metric tons of cow meat annually with about 30% of this meat being cow skin or hides, also known as Kpomo, making the Kpomo business a very profitable one with high local and international demand with good profit margins.
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What is Kpomo?
Kpomo, also known as Kanda or Ponmo (in Nigerian local parlance) is processed cow skin. It is a very common delicacy enjoyed in all parts of Nigeria, by different tribes and cultures.
What Is Kpomo Production?
Kpomo production is the process of making Kpomo from cowhides, and it entails the right selection of the cow to the separation of the skin from the body of the cow to the process of converting the skin to Kpomo.
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Business Opportunities in Kpomo Production
1). Source of Food:
Kpomo is an essential delicacy to Africans, and most especially, Nigerians, as it is consumed by all tribes and regions, and can be eaten in various forms in different kinds of meals.
2). Source Of Animal Feed
Kpomo is also used in the production of pet animal feeds like dog and cat feed. It can also be prepared and served alone to your pets or mixed with other food.
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Facts and Benefits of the Kpomo
- Kpomo, compared to regular meats, has low protein and low fat.
- A 100g of boiled thick Kpomo contains about 224.65kcal of energy, 6.80g of carbohydrate, about 43.9g of water, 46.9g of protein, 1.09g of fat and 0.02g of fibre
- For micronutrients, it contains small amounts of calcium (61mg), iron (4.3mg), magnesium (12mg), phosphorus (36mg) and zinc (6.79mg)
- Kpomo is a very affordable kind of meat
- Kpomo is essential for weight loss since it contains little calories
- Severe health risks from kpomo come from processors who roast the hides over burning tyres or petrochemical fires.
- Kpomo is a source of livelihood.
- Discovery made by some scientists as far back as the 1980s shows that Kpomo could slow down the ageing process.
- Gelatin/collagen is extracted from cow skin and used in various forms in the food industry to make food items such as jelly, ice cream, fruit or wine gums.
- In pharmaceutical industries, gelatin extract from cow skin is also used in making the casing for medicines and added to drugs as a gelling agent
- In cosmetic industries, gelatin extract from cow skin could also be added to beauty creams/products
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Types Of Kpomo
1). Dark Kpomo:
Here, the hides are roasted over an open wood fire and then scraped to remove the hair and burnt coating. Afterwhich they are then cut and boiled.
How healthy dark Kpomo is depends on the fire. Wood is generally a minor problem while using tires and petrochemicals are a significant health problem.
2). White Kpomo:
The hides are separated from the whole body of the cow and then shaved. After this, it is boiled until tender enough for consumption.
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How to Start Kpomo Business in Nigeria: Step by Step Guide
The Kpomo production process for consumption is not a tough one. It only just requires a great deal of patience and perseverance:
1). Roasting The Cow Skin:
The first stage of kpomo production involves the application of heat. Logs of woods are to be arranged to form a fireplace, and then fire is set on it. After the fire is set, the hide or skin is put into the fire to burn until it shrinks to the smallest form and is blackened.
2). Boiling The Roasted Cow Skin:
A drum of water is then placed on another fireplace and left to boil. The blackened Kpomo is put inside the boiled water and is cooked till it swells back.
3). Cooling And Packaging:
After the skin is cooked, it is allowed to cool down and is then put into big plastic drums filled with water to soak overnight.
The Kpomo is soaked so that the bitterness of the fire will be eradicated. If the Kpomo is to be a dried repackaged one, it may not be soaked overnight. But if soaked, it will be oven-dried, then cut to specific sizes.
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Challenges of the Kpomo Business In Nigeria
Here are some challenges that can affect starting Kpomo business in Nigeria & Africa:
- Lack of funding for large scale production
- Lack of highly equipped storage facilities
- Lack of efficient production mechanisms
- Poor funding of research activities
- Lack of easy access to the international market
- Lack of funds to import international standard processing machinery
- Thieves and criminals
- Poorly managed supply chain
- Low consumer purchasing power
- Marketing challenges
- Lack of experience
- Use of traditional unhealthy procession processes
- Inconsistent pricing systems
- Health consequences from the harmful production process
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To Sum It Up
Kpomo is very high in demand and the business can be started with as little as 10,000 Naria. It doesn’t come with many challenges provided that there is startup capital and adequate technical know-how.
The kpomo business in Nigeria can be a lucrative and profitable venture to start-up, due to its vast market demand and on your own ability to build a wide local supply chain network. If you’re looking for a meat-based business to venture into, the kpomo farming business in Nigeria is a great option to explore.
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Thanks for this article, I’m highly impressed and interested. I want to know where I can get it in bulk.
If you can help me, I will be very grateful.
Thanks.
Hi Adesina,
Abbatoirs are the best place to get fresh cow leather (kpomo), mostly in northern Nigeria.
Thank you.
Do you have their contact, I want to be a distributor
I can help you with that
Please sir I need help with their contact too I want to be a distributor
Thanks for the information ,I will like to try the business ,do you know way of how to package it for export standard ?
Do you also help in how to grow the business?
Hi Peter,
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Please the white Ponmo do they boil too before frying the fried ones
I want to venture in the ponmo business particularly the white ones.where can I get them in bulk I,e the fried ponmo?
Pls how do I cut it after burts d hides cause I discover that is hard to cut after burt
Thanks for sharing. God bless
I sell ponmo Ijebu in wholesales and in retail and are dried enough for exports contact via WhatsApp 08025152674.
If you’re interested let’s do business I’m also importing container of dry caw skin
How much is ur Pomo ijebu, I want to resale
*Supplier* of quality dry salted cowhide from Burkina Faso.
*Supplier* of pineapple from Benin
If you are interested please contact me
Via WhatsApp 0022964412407
Hello good evening please I want to be a distributor of dried black and white ponmo with dried meat called kundi or tinko
I want to join ponmo business
I want to be a distributor, but I’m not in North pls can you connect me with someone…I need the fried one in bulk
I sell the fried ponmo..u can get them from me in bulk(08131957969)
I can help you to get ponmo in bulk. I am selling. You can call this number 08069697497
Thanks for the article am interested in white ponmo but don’t know how to get it in bulks.thanks.
Thanks for the article .
I bring contenair of cow skin from europe to togo im looking for buteurs of cow skin in big quantity
Contact me on whatsapp
+228 91484380
You dont bring to nigeria..
I av intrest
How do we identify donkey cow skin
I need a reliable supplier from the north… I want to venture into this business
Please, can yiu connect me to whole sellers of the white and brown ponmo, please? Thank you.
Yes! Contact 08053557237
Thank you so much I notice there is a lot of business but will don’t notice them thank once again but apart from abbatoir where else can get the dry cow skin in bulk?
Thanks for the article, am interested in the business. Do you train people for the business? I want to start, run and develop this business as soon as possible. How would you be of help to me? PLEASE!!!!!
Please o i want to start the business.
Which part of the north can i buy from?
If possible to start nextweek,am in Abuja.
Thanking you.
Please do you have a link where someone can get it in the north
It’s not necessarily from the north. I have contacts who can supply to u. I don’t sell myself
It’s not necessarily from the north. I have contacts who can supply to u. I don’t sell myself
Please someone should link me up to a wholesaler of dry cow skin. I base in Cross River State. Thanks
Thanks so much for this post. Highly interested in Ponmo as business.could you please up with direct source of it? Thanks as I await your prompt response. God bless you greatly.
You can contact 08053557237
Have you gotten any contact because I sell Pomo both the white and black, fried and roasted. (08034618385)
Pls do we boil before we cut ponmo ijebu cause burts it I discover that is hard
How to process dry ponmo (kanda)
Thank you very much for the post. Please where can I buy white ponmo in bulk.