An Assessment of the Economics of Cassava Processing in Kwara State, Nigeria

This study was carried out to examine returns to cassava processing in Kwara State. The specific objectives are to identify the various products from cassava in the study area; estimate costs and returns to cassava processing; and identify constraints to cassava processing and marketing. A four-stage random sampling technique was employed to obtain primary data from 118 respondents used for the study. Descriptive statistics, Likert-type scale were used to analyze the data used for this study. It was observed that majority of the processors were females (88.1%) with an average age of 32 years, mostly with one form of education or the other (60.20%). The study revealed that four cassava products namely garri, flour (lafun), fufu and starch were the major products from cassava processing in the. Analysis of the costs and returns revealed that processing cassava to garri gave the highest Gross Margin even though processing cassava to all the four products was profitable. Furthermore, the constraints experienced by processors in carrying out their activities and marketing their various products include poor road network, high transport cost, drudgery due to poor access to equipment, inadequate capital and weather related factors relating to sun-drying of cassava products during rainy season. of various degrees. The study therefore recommends the need for processors to have access to infrastructural facilities and improved processing technology to enable them take advantage of the emerging market-oriented cassava products so as to improve their means of livelihoods.