ECONOMIC ANALYSIS OF MAIZE MARKETING IN FCT

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ECONOMIC ANALYSIS OF MAIZE MARKETING IN FCT

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the study

Maize (Zea mays, L.) is one of the main cereal crops of West Africa, and the most important cereal food crops in Nigeria. It comes after wheat and rice in terms of world importance. Maize is not only a major cereal crop in the present day world but it was also one of the basic foods in America before the arrival of Christopher Columbus at the end of the 15th Century, and among the Indians in Mexico and Guatemala, and also among the Incus in Peru, Bolivia and Equator (Rouannent, 1987).

Maize is becoming the miracle seed for Nigeria s agricultural and economic development. It has established itself as a very significant component of the farming system and determines the cropping pattern of the predominantly peasant farmers,

especially in the Northern States (Ahmed, 1996). Maize has been of great importance in providing food for man, feed for livestock and raw materials for some agro-based industries. Maize constitutes a stable food in many regions of the world. It is a basic stable for large population groups particularly in developing countries (FAO and ILO, 1997).

Wikipedia (2006), reported that maize is hydrolyzed and enzymatically treated to produce syrups, particularly high fructose corn syrup, a sweetener and in some cases fermented and distilled to produce grain alcohol which is traditionally the source of bourbon whisky. Sweet corn is a genetic variation that is high in sugars and low in starch that is served like a vegetable. Another common food made from maize is corn flakes. Maize is used as meal pap in Africa, corn bread is made from maize. Maize is still an important model organism for genetic and develops mental biology to date.

Doebley (1994), reported that maize can be boiled or roasted on the cob, the grains can be cooked fresh or dry and the dry grain can be made into pop corn (guguru) and eaten with roasted groundnuts.

Maize is one of the most abundant food crops in Nigeria. About 80% is consumed by man and animals while 20% is utilized in variety of industries processes for production of starch, oil high fructose, corn sweetener, ethanol, cereal and alkaline. Maize consists of 71% starch, 9% protein and 4% oil on a dry weight basis.

1.2 Statement of the problem

Despite the economic importance of maize to the teeming populace in Nigeria, it has not been produced to meet food and industrial needs of the country. This could be attributed to low productivity from maize farms or that farmers have not adopted improved technologies for maize production.

1.3 Objectives of the study

(i) describe the socio-economic characteristics of maize farmers in the study area

(ii) determine the inputs and outputs level in maize production in the study area.

(iii) estimate the costs and returns associated with maize production in the study area.

(iv) determine resource-use effience in maize production

(v) identify the constraints to maize production in the study area.

1.4 Research questions

(i) What are the socio-economic characteristics of maize farmers in the study area

(ii) What are the inputs and outputs level in maize production in the study area.

(iii) What are the costs and returns associated with maize production in the study area.

(iv) What is resource-use effience in maize production

(v) What are the constraints to maize production in the study area.