CONSTRAINTS IN CASHEW PRODUCTION AMONG CASHEW FARMERS IN SOUTHWESTERN NIGERIA

Cashew production in Nigeria is faced with some constraints ranging from production via processing to marketing. This study was therefore carried out to determine the severity of constraints in cashew production in Nigeria. The study was carried out in Southwestern Nigeria. Multi-stage random sampling technique was used to select 63 cashew farmers from the study area. Information was collected from the respondents with the aid of structured questionnaire and the data retrieved from the information collected was analysed using descriptive statistics as well as multi-variate regression analysis. Result shows that majority (84.14%) of the farmers are still in their active age (60 years and below) and most (68.49%) of the farmers are having more than ten years of cashew farming experience. However, majority (87.30%) of the farmers are small scale farmers (5 hectares and below). Regarding the severity of constraints, most respondents considered farm activities as very severe constraints while most farmers regarded age of farms and inadequacy of labour as severe constraints. However, most farmers considered access to market information and inadequate credit facilities as not severe constraints. The determinants of cashew production as discovered by the study are age of farmer (p< 0.1), age of cashew trees (p<0.05), farm size (p< 0.1) and source of cashew planted (p< 0.1).