Economic Analysis of Agricultural Marketable Surplus of Maize in Owerri Agricultural Zone of Imo State, Nigeria
Journal Title: International Journal of Agriculture Innovations and Research - Year 2018, Vol 6, Issue 6
Abstract
Maize is a vital staple food crop cultivated extensively in Southeast Nigeria especially in Owerri Agricultural Zone of Imo State. In spite of the high yield of Maize in this area, little research has been carried out on Marketable Surplus of Maize in the study area. This study earlier carried out in 2016 was repeated in 2017 on an evaluation of Agricultural Marketable Surplus of Maize (Zea Mays) in Owerri Agricultural Zone of Imo State, Southeast Nigeria. Purposive and random sampling techniques were used to select 60 maize farmers from three Local Government Areas (LGAs) in Owerri zone. The primary data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics, gross margin and regression analyses. Results showed that an average of 968kg/ha of maize was produced which gave a computed average gross income (GI), of N108, 150 and net income (NI) of N100, 808. The average marketable surplus was 582kg/ha and gave average GI of N50, 250 and NI of N42, 908 to a maize farmer in the study area. Determinants of marketable surplus of maize presented under Cobb-Douglas production function showed that the coefficients of X1 (quantity of grains planted), X2 (farm size), X4 (Labour) and X7 (Credit) were significant, with positive correlation to maize production at P=0.01. Similarly, the coefficients of X3 (Fertilizer used) and X6 (farmers experience) were significant, with positive correlation to maize production at P=0.05. These are indications that increase in any of these variable factors would increase production of maize and it’s marketable surplus. However, the coefficients of X5 (distance to market) and X8 (household size) were not significant. Some of the constraints posited by the maize farmers were inadequate storage facilities (17.52%), lack of credit to farmers (17.16%), inadequate inputs (14.24%), pests/diseases (12.78%), high cost of labour (11.67%) etc. Based on the findings, the study recommends that maize farming should be intensified. More farm lands made available to maize farmers, cultivation and processing of maize need to be mechanized and improved seeds, adequate inputs at reduced prices, credits at low interest rates and good storage materials etc, should be made available to maize farmers. Farmers need to be encouraged to cultivate maize twice in a year by providing irrigation facilities.
Authors and Affiliations
Osugiri I. I. , et al.
Keywords
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