ECONOMICS OF PROCESSING CASSAVA INTO GARRI AND PELLETS IN KOGI STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract
This study was conducted to investigate the economics of cassava processing into garri andpellets in Kogi State. Data were collected from 100 cassava processors (22 males and 78females) and analysed to describe socio-economic characteristics, identify and describevarious technologies used in cassava processing, ascertain gender roles, estimate theinfluence of socio-economic characteristics on income of processors, determine profitabilityand identify constraints militating against the processors of cassava in the study area. Multistagerandom sampling techniques were employed in the selection of local government areas,communities and processors on who structured questionnaires were administered. Descriptivestatistics, gross margin, rate of return on investment and multiple regressions were used for

analysis.

Results shows that majority of the processing fell within the middle age group (31 –50 years) with an average years of processing experience of 22 years; mostly women with anaverage of 8 persons per household and 7 years of schooling. Traditional technologies wereemployed by the cassava processors with low level of men’s involvement relative to highinvolvement of women in cassava processing activities. Six out of nine explanatory variableswere significantly related to income. These include; age, gender, education, experience,access to credit and number of labourers in the cassava processing enterprise. Processingcassava into garri and pellets were profitable, although processing cassava into garri wasmore profitable with gross margin of 22,700 and profitable index (PI) of 0.04 than pelletswith gross margin of 13,100 with profitable index (PI) of 0.33. The major constraints facingthe cassava processors in the study area include: poor storage facilities, high cost ofprocessing inputs, poor road network for the transportation, bulkiness of fresh tubers,unstable weather and shortage of labour. The study therefore recommended that improvedcassava processing technologies should be made available to the processors to enhanceproductivity and acceptability of their products, capacity building of the cassava processorsfor their improved profitability in the cassava processing enterprise, regular visits byagricultural extension agents for quick adoption of improved cassava processingtechnologies, stabilization of prices of agricultural commodities through the provision of afunctional marketing channel and provision of storage facilities with good road network for

improved production

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