ECONOMIC ANALYSIS OF EGG PRODUCTION IN IREPODUN AREA OF KWARA STATE, NORTH CENTRAL NIGERIA

Egg production in Kwara State is very important as it is a major source of animal protein for the teaming population. In the study of the economics of egg production inIrepodun area of Kwara State, North Central Nigeria data collection was carried outduring a survey of fifty-eight (58) poultry farmers who were selected using systematic random sampling technique.Descriptive statistics and farm budgetary technique were used as analytical tools. The findings indicated that most of the respondents (62%) were males and between 40-49 years of age and with an average of 7 years’ experience in egg production. Furthermore,Poultry-egg business in the area was found to be dominated by small scale poultry-eggfarms which accounted for about 50% of the total farms. It was found that over 98.2% ofthe cost of production was on the variable inputs especially feed and feedingstock. The result also revealed that large scale farms had the highestaverage cost of production per 100 birds ( N 2,666,254.7). Net Farm Income per bird was N 1,368,994.57 for the small-scale farms, N 2,311,599.5 for the medium scale farm and N 3,299,500.3 for the large scale farms. The small-scale farms made CapitalTurnover (CTO) and Profitability Index (PI) per bird of about, N 1.98 and N 0.36. The CTO and PI obtained from the medium scale farm sizes were about N 1.99 and N0.36. While the CTO and PI for the large farm sizes were N 1.32 and N0.25. These values imply that poultry-egg productionis a profitable business in thearea and large farm sizes were most profitable. Flock size contributed incrementally to the total value of poultry-egg output inthe study area. The study identified inadequate capital and high cost of inputs as the major constraints to poultry-egg production. It is recommended that poultry farmers should be trained on feed formulation or alternative sources of poultry feed since feeding constitutes the highest component of cost in all the farms in the study. Egg production in Kwara State is very important as it is a major source of animal protein for the teaming population. In the study of the economics of egg production inIrepodun area of Kwara State, North Central Nigeria data collection was carried outduring a survey of fifty-eight (58) poultry farmers who were selected using systematic random sampling technique.Descriptive statistics and farm budgetary technique were used as analytical tools. The findings indicated that most of the respondents (62%) were males and between 40-49 years of age and with an average of 7 years’ experience in egg production. Furthermore,Poultry-egg business in the area was found to be dominated by small scale poultry-eggfarms which accounted for about 50% of the total farms. It was found that over 98.2% ofthe cost of production was on the variable inputs especially feed and feedingstock. The result also revealed that large scale farms had the highestaverage cost of production per 100 birds ( N 2,666,254.7). Net Farm Income per bird was N 1,368,994.57 for the small-scale farms, N 2,311,599.5 for the medium scale farm and N 3,299,500.3 for the large scale farms. The small-scale farms made CapitalTurnover (CTO) and Profitability Index (PI) per bird of about, N 1.98 and N 0.36. The CTO and PI obtained from the medium scale farm sizes were about N 1.99 and N0.36. While the CTO and PI for the large farm sizes were N 1.32 and N0.25. These values imply that poultry-egg productionis a profitable business in thearea and large farm sizes were most profitable. Flock size contributed incrementally to the total value of poultry-egg output inthe study area. The study identified inadequate capital and high cost of inputs as the major constraints to poultry-egg production. It is recommended that poultry farmers should be trained on feed formulation or alternative sources of poultry feed since feeding constitutes the highest component of cost in all the farms in the study.