Advanced Journal of Microbiology Research

Advanced Journal of Microbiology Research Vol. 2015

Available online at http://internationalscholarsjournals.org/journal/ajmr

© 2015 International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Analysis of dry season vegetable production in Owerri West Local Government Area of Imo State, Nigeria

U. C. Ibekwe¹ and O. M. Adesope²*

¹Department of Agricultural Economics, Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Nigeria.

²Department of Agricultural Economics and Extension, University of Port Harcourt, Port Harcourt, Nigeria.

Accepted 10 December, 2014

Abstract

The study focused on the costs and returns of small- scale vegetable production in Owerri West Local Government Area of Imo State, Nigeria. A total of 150 respondents were interviewed using questionnaire. The production system and socio economic characteristics of the farmers were evaluated. Vegetable production was found to be profitable with a Benefit – Cost Ratio (BCR) of 1.64 and the return per capital invested was found to be 0.50k. The regression analysis showed that variables such as, cost of labour, cost of fertilizer, cost of planting materials, cost of irrigation, level of education, size of household, farming experience and farm size were significant at five percent level of significance. Formation of cooperative society by farmers’ provision of appropriate planting materials and technologies were the methods recommended for amelioration of vegetable farmers’ problem.