Analysis of profitability of transplanted rice in Fadamas of Zango Kataf local government area of Kaduna state, Nigeria

This study examines labour use in transplanted rice production and determines the profitability of transplanted rice production and identifies the main problems associated with this system of rice production. Sixty (60) farmers were purposively chosen and six villages were randomly selected, and served with structured questionnaires in 2007 cropping season. Descriptive statistic and budgeting techniques were used to analyse the data. Major findings indicated that family labour (51.6%) is the most commonly used labour in transplanted rice production. The most tasking operations were ridge making breakage and transplanting operations. The costs and returns analysis indicates that from one hectare of land cultivated with transplanted rice the total cost incurred was N23,620.00 and a gross revenue of N75,000.00, thus making a gross margin of N41,380.00. This result indicates transplanted rice production is a profitable venture. The major problems identify in transplanted rice production were inadequate and high cost of fertilizer, unstable prices and lack of access to credit facilities to farmers in the study area. This paper recommends that micro credit be advanced to these rice farmers so as to enable them finance the rice transplanting operations for increased output in the study area.Keywords: Profitability, transplanted, rice, fadamas, production, analysi