Scientific Research and Essays Vol. 2 (10), 462-464, October 2007          
ISSN 1992-2248 © 2007 Academic Journals

Short Communication

Profitability in the use of sweet potato crop as soil conservation strategy in Umudike, Abia State, Nigeria

Ogbonna, M.C, Korieocha, D. S, Anyaegbunam, H. N, Njoku .D, Okoye, B.C,  Akinpelu O.A and Nwokocha C.C

National Root Crops Research Institute, (NRCRI), Umudike, P.M.B. 7006, Umuahia,  Abia State, Nigeria.

*Corresponding author. E– mail: marcelliuso@yahoo.com.

Accepted 8 October, 2007

Abstract

An experiment was conducted in August 2004 and July 2005 at National Root Crop Research Institute (NRCRI) Umudike crop production farm to evaluate the profitability of sweet potato production as a strategy for soil conservation. The data were collected for 4 months from land clearing to sales using cost-route approach. The study evaluates the costs and returns in sweet potato production using basic statistics and profitability models. The results on cost of resource inputs showed a total production cost of N149, 355.20. Labour input, sweet potato vine, land preparation constituted 30.93, 26.96 and 9.71% of the total production cost, respectively. Despite the high production costs, the results of farm budgeting showed a gross return of N274, 054.00 and net profit of N124, 698.80. Thus, farmers are encouraged to go into the production of sweet potato, as it is profitable when use in conserving the farmland.

Key words: Sweet potato, profitability, soil conservation, Umudike, Nigeria.