PROFITABILITY OF COWPEA GRAINS STORED WITH PURDUE IMPROVED COWPEA STORAGE TECHNOLOGY IN BENUE STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

Insect infestations impose serious challenge to cowpea storage and negatively affect trade and utilization of cowpea in Nigeria. Purdue improved cowpea storage (PICS) technology provide effective control against these storage pests, thus allowing farmers to tap into better grain prices during the lean season. The study assessed the profitability of cowpea grains stored with Purdue improved cowpea storage technology in Benue State, Nigeria. The objectives of the study include; to determine the effect of PICS technology use on cowpea loss and to estimate the returns to cowpea stored with PICS technology. Two hundred and forty (240) respondents were identified and interviewed using snowballing non-random sampling techniques. The analytical tools used for the study were the gravimetric (count and weight) method and marketing margin analysis. The result of the study revealed that storing with PICS technology reduced weight loss in cowpea by 15.3%, valued at N3,450 per bag per season. The use of PICS technology gave a higher marketing margin of N11,297.88/bag with farm-to-retail price spread of 45.5% than N8,285.83/bag and farm-to-retail price spread of 37.8% in woven bag. It is recommended that; farmers group should be used as a platform to promote and create awareness on the economic benefits of PICS technology use.