African Journal of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development

Full Length Research Paper

Expenditure and returns survey of first five preferred Sahel savanna non-timber forest products in Yobe State, Nigeria

Igho E.E

Department of Forestry, Faculty of Agriculture, Delta State University, Abraka, Nigeria.

Accepted 09 September, 2014

Abstract

This article describes cost and returns analysis of first five preferred Sahel savanna non-timber forest products (NTFPs) in Yobe State, Nigeria. The results demonstrate that households in Yobe State could realize NGN2,898.48 and NGN142,615.49 from the NTFPs as the least and maximum gross margins (household incomes) respectively. Gross margin ratio of households across all the study sites ranged from 0.925 to 0.980, and that from individual study sites 0.903 to 1.000 respectively. Thus, trade in these NTFPs was profitable to stimulate their domestication.

Key words: Cost and returns analysis, gross margin, gross margin ratio, non-timber forest products, sahel savanna.