Economics of pumpkin leaf production in Ovia North-East Local Government Area of Edo State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study was therefore designed to estimate the profitability of pumpkin leaf production in Ovia North East Local Government Area of Edo State. A simple random sampling of 100 pumpkin leaf producers was carried out in the study area in order to generate the primary data used in the study. The data were gathered with the help structured questionnaire, administered through interview schedules. Data were analysed using multiple regression analysis, budgetary analysis and descriptive statistics. Results from the study showed that all the Pumpkin leaf producers were females (100%), with majority of them between the age range of 41-50 years, they had a low educational background and high pumpkin leaf farming experience of between 6-10 years. The profitability indices showed an annual total variable cost of N35,712.00 and an annual gross margin of N81,287.00. The return per naira invested was estimated as N2.28. Results of the regression analysis showed that variations in the total variable cost were explained by the costs of labour, miscellaneous expenditure, transport, fertilizer and depreciation of farm implements, with an R² value of 0.89 and (p < 0.01). However, on the socioeconomic regression on output only age and farm size of the farmer affected output since only two of them were significant (P < 0.01) with the model R² value of 0.62. The major constraints to pumpkin leaf production were difficulty in acquiring land for cultivation and high cost of labour. It was advocated that farmers should be encouraged to remain in the business through the evolution of policies that would ease land acquisition and provision of basic social amenities in the study area.