An economic assessment of plantain production in Rivers State , Nigeria

Abstract

This study examined the profitability and resource-use of plantain production in Nigeria, using Rivers State Nigeria as a case study. The study sample respondents comprised eighty 80 plantain producing households. These were selected randomly across River State. The gross margin and regression analysis were used to analyse the farmers’ plantain production data. The result showed that the plantain farmers in the study area are aged and of poor literacy status Gross margin per hectare of plantain averaged N34,317.00 while net farm income averaged N31,267. Rate of returns on investment and rate of return on capital invested are 173 and 73 per cent respectively implying that plantain production is a profitable and viable venture. The OLS regression estimate showed that labour did not significantly influence plantain output. However land and planting material: sucker are shown to enhance plantain production Theft, bad roads, poor producer prices and high cost of fertilizer were reportedly the constraints to plantain production. The study therefore recommends subsidy on fertilizer, group marketing of plantain by farmers themselves via their cooperative, provision of basic rural infrastructural (road) and the rehabilitation of existing ones, so as to better rural life thereby attracting youth population to the rural areas for plantain production. Keywords: gross margin, rate of return, suckers, factors, resource-use, regression.