Browsing by Author "Obi, Christopher Uche"

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    ECONOMICS OF IRISH I POTATO PRODUCTION IN PLATEAU STATE, NIGERIA
    (Department of Agricultural Economic And Extension Nsarawa State University Keffi, 2020-03-04) Obi, Christopher Uche
    The study examined the economics of Irish potato production in Plateau State, Nigeria. A multistage sampling technique was used to select 180 respondents for the study. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Cobb-Douglas functional form of the stochastic frontier model. The results revealed that the mean age of the respondents was 44 years. Majority of the respondents were married and most had formal education with average household size of eight persons. The profitability analysis shows a gross margin of N95,986.86 per hectare with return on naira invested as 29 kobo. The Maximum Likelihood Estimates of production function used in the study shows that farm size and seed positively and significantly influenced output of Irish potato under the Cobb-Douglas model and that the mean technical efficiency estimates was 68%. The inefficiency estimates shows that education and household size decreased inefficiency, while farming experience increased it. The study further found that high costs of inputs, inadequate credit facilities, pests and diseases, lack of security are the major constraints to Irish production in the study area. Based on the results, the study recommends that government should increase extension contacts to train farmers on how to reduce technical inefficiency and ultimately, increase profitability in the study area. The study further recommends an increase in farm size under Irish potato cultivation and provision of adequate security to increase farmers' productivity. vi