Efficiency and marketed surplus of producers along rice value chain

Nigeria is continual struggling to bridge the gap between supply and the ever-increasing demand for rice. A lot of inefficiencies have been recorded in rice production and processing in Nigeria. The analysis of the efficiency and marketed surplus of rice farmers in Enugu State, Nigeria was carried out. The study described specifically:1) the socio-economic characteristics of the rice farmers; estimated their technical efficiency, ascertained the proportion marketed and determinants of the marketed surplus; estimated the costs and the returns, and identified the constraints militating against their rice production. The data were collected with the use of semi-structured questionnaire and analyzed using fractional Logit and Multiple-Regression Analysis. The proportion of marketed surplus was 96.49% (16,831.38kg) and rice farm, quantity of seed used, quantity of agrochemical and quantity given to friends were determinants of marketed surplus. Quantity of seed, quantity of agrochemical and farm labour were significantly influencing the quantity produced by farmers at 5%, 5% and 1% respectively. Farmers generated a net farm income of N 4,434,435.32 per season with return on investment of 1.74. Some major constraints of rice production were dependence on rainfall, disease/pest attack, high cost of farm inputs, lack of support from government, low market price, and lack of training/extension services. It is recommended that government should empower extension agents so that they will be able to train farmers on new innovations.