ECONOMIC ANALYSIS OF UPLAND RICE PRODUCTION IN KATSINA STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

The study analysed economic analysis of upland rice farmers in Katsina State, Nigeria. We collected data using questionnaires between July and November 2023, from 239 upland rice farmers in three Local Government Areas (LGAs) under Zone II of Katsina Agricultural & rural development (KTARDA) of the state. Using means, percentages, frequency distributions, we analyzed the data and performed a multiple regression using the ordinary least squares method. The data were further subjected to efficiency analysis. Results showed that availability of land, capital, labour, seeds, fertilizer and other inputs had a positive effect on rice output. Cobb- Douglas was the lead equation and the component variables jointly explained 89% of the variation in rice output. The efficiency analysis showed that land and labour were over utilized while seeds and fertilizer were under-utilized. The overall function shows that the farmers were producing at the region of increasing returns to scale, implying that the productivity was not at the optimum level. To attain the optimality in use of input resources and produce efficiently, the rice farmers should decrease their use of land and labour, and increase the use of improved seeds and fertilizers.