ABSTRACT

The study ascertains the determinants of commercialization of cassava production in Abia State. It was aimed at examining the socio-economic characteristics of the respondents in relation to cassava production. It established farm household commercialization index. The study identified determinants of commercialization of cassava production in the study area and the extent of use of the factor of production by the respondents. The study was carried out in 76 households across the two agricultural zones of the state. Two farming communities were selected purposively from each local government area from which ten cassava faun households were randomly selected respectively. Questionnaires were administered to these seminar respondents. Data analysis involved the use of descriptive statistics and four functional forms of production functions. Cassava production in the study area tends toward market oriented. Mean values of commercialization index from various communities were 30.65 percent at minimum and 87.92 percent maximum production. The exponential function was chosen the lead equation to ascertain the determinants of the commercialization. The result further shows the production elasticity of years in school of farmer high 0.46 relative to others. The major finding of the analysis shows decrease in return to scale as household shift closer to 1 00 percent commercialization. The study observed that labour and capital are negatively related to commercialization and suggests proper combination of these factors to restore of better scale of production in the study area.