Economic analysis of beef marketing in Awka North Local Government Area of Anambra State, Nigeria

This study examined the marketing of beef in Awka North Local  Government Area of Anambra State. The objectives of this study were to describe the socio-economic characteristics of beef marketers, ascertain the costs and return of beef marketing, determine the factors affecting revenue derived from beef marketing and examine problems faced by beef  marketers in the study area. Four towns in the local government were  purposively selected because these towns have large markets with many beef marketers. Fifteen beef marketers were randomly selected from each of the four markets giving a total of sixty respondents. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistic, net return analysis and multiple regression analysis. Result showed that 40% of the beef marketers were within the age of 31 – 40 years, 64% were females and a high percentage of them (76%) were married. Majority of the respondents (60%) acquired only primary school education and 70% of the respondents had household size of between 1 -5 persons. A net return of N501.50k per kilogram of beef was obtained showing that beef marketing was profitable in the study area. The multiple regression analysis showed age, educational level, storage cost, marketing experience and cost of purchase were significant variables which affect beef marketing. The major constraints faced by the beef marketers were lack of fund, high transportation cost and inadequate storage facilities. Beef marketers should take advantage of economies of scale to ensure profitability and by extension, improved livelihood and sustainability of the business.Keywords: Beef marketing, economic analysis, net returns, constraints, Awka Nort

Competition in a rice - cowpea intercrop as affected by nitrogen fertilizer and plant population Competição em uma cultura consorciada de arroz-guandu em função do fertilizante nitrogenado e da densidade populacional de plantas

The increased productivity or yield advantage provided by intercropping is attributed to a better use of resources by crops grown in mixtures, as compared to the same species grown in sole stands. In an intercropping system with upland rice and cowpea, the intra and inter-competition was quantified, as affected by plant population density and rate of nitrogen. Reductions in number of panicles per rice plant and number of grains per panicle were obtained with high density in both sole and mixture rice populations. Increasing nitrogen rate did not affect yield and yield components in both populations, but number and weight of pods per plant of cowpea in sole stands increased. Land equivalent ratios exceeding unity were obtained, indicating an improved resource use by the crop mixture. Relative crowding coefficient and aggressivity indices showed cowpea to be the dominant crop, with rice being dominated. Nitrogen utilization efficiency was high with intercrops, but was generally poor in stands of high population density.<br>O aumento em produtividade devido a plantios consorciados é atribuído ao melhor uso dos recursos presentes pelas plantas em desenvolvimento conjunto, em comparação às mesmas espécies crescendo em dosséis separados. Em um sistema consorciado de arroz e guandu quantificou-se as inter- e intra competições em relação à densidade populacional e taxa de aplicação de nitrogênio. Reduções significativas do número de panículas por planta de arroz e número de grãos por panícula foram observados para alta densidade, tanto para culturas solteira de arroz como em populações mistas. O aumento das doses de nitrogênio não afetou a produção e os componentes de produção em ambos os sistemas, ao passo que o número e peso de vagens por planta do guandu aumentaram em culturas solteiras. Foram obtidas razões de área equivalente maiores que a unidade, mostrando melhoria no uso da terra nas culturas mistas. O coeficiente relativo de superpopulação e os índices de agressividade mostraram que o guandu é dominante e o arroz dominado. A eficiência do uso de nitrogênio foi alta nas culturas consorciadas, mas em geral baixa para populações de alta densidade