Level of gross margin among vegetable farmers in Iwo Zone of Osun State Agricultural Development Project

Abstract

The study examined the level of gross margin in vegetable farmers’ production in Iwo zone of Osun State Agricultural Development Programme (ADP). Data for the study was collected through structured interview schedule with 150 vegetable farmers selected through multistage sampling technique. These data were subjected to descriptive statistics. The study found that the larger proportion (56%) of the respondents were between the ages of 46-50 years, with mean age of 46 years. About 62.7% and 37.3% of the respondents had no formal education and had over 13 years of farming experience respectively. The mean gross margin, total revenue and total cost of the vegetable farmers were ₦3,159.13, ₦33979.47 and ₦4918.67 respectively. This shows that the level of gross margin is low among the vegetable farmers. It was therefore recommended that improved vegetable production practices information should be provided to the respondents through the extension agents, to avail them the understanding of the use of modern technology, accessibility to subsidized equipment and agro-inputs by government partnered agro-input dealers. This will help to minimize the labour cost incurred by the vegetable farmer and invariably, improve their gross margin from vegetable production.

Keywords: Vegetable, Gross Margin, Total Revenue, Total Cost