Assessment of Economics of Maize Production in Akwa Ibom State

Abstract

The study was carried out to assess the economics of maize production in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. It aimed at describing the socio-economic characteristics of maize farmers in Akwa Ibom State, estimating the inputs-output levels in maize production, determining the costs and returns and hence profitability of maize production in the state as well as determining the effects of input prices on maize production and problems encountered by maize farmers in the study area. Respondents were drawn from three (3) Senatorial Districts (SD) making up Akwa Ibom State namely: Uyo Senatorial District, Eket Senatorial District and Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District. A total of 3000 respondents were administered with questionnaires but two thousand nine hundred and ninety-two (2992) questionnaires were collected and used for the study. Data obtained were analyzed using descriptive statistics, budget analysis and multivariate regression analysis. Results showed that majority of the respondents were male (73.97 %). The highest age class was 31 – 40 years with 37.33 %, the highest marital status of the respondent was married with 43.15 % while the highest farming experience was 6 – 9 years with 36.30 %. Education level of the respondents showed that majority of them (67.12 %) have secondary education followed by primary education with 15.75 % and tertiary education with 9.59 % while those with no formal education had the least (7.54 %). Major occupation of the respondents was farming with 38.36 % followed by business with 31.85 % while artisan had the least (14.04 %). All of them cultivated maize (100 %), 77.40 % cultivated cassava, 63.70 % cultivated cocoyam while 55.48 % cultivated yam as their major crops. On the average, each of them spent N30,342.56 on land preparation, N28,356.11 on labour, N1468.56 on seed, N20675.94 on fertilizer, N5658.87 on pesticide and N5657.68 on transportation. This gives an average variable cost of N 92159.72 per year. Individual farmer produced 852.45 kg of maize at a unit price of N205.89 per kg giving a total revenue of N175,510.93 and average cross margin of N67075. Regression of input price against gross income of the farmers revealed that land size, family labour, cost of fertilizer and income from other enterprise had significant effect on gross income from maize in the study area. All the respondents (100 %) confirmed that low soil fertility is a problem in maize production. Other problems encountered by maize farmers in the study area include high cost of fertilizer with 91.44 %, inadequate capital with 83.56 %, high cost of labour with 69.52 % as well as pest and disease with 57.53 %. It was inferred that cultivation of maize in the study area is carried out by low-income earners who are fairly literate and combined maize production with other businesses like trading and artisan. It was recommended among others that land and grant should be made available for farmers in the state by government for improved production of maize.