TREND EVALUATION OF AGRICULTURAL EXPORT CROPS IN NIGERIA

The study uses the Ordinary Least Square (OLS) regression technique to evaluate the growth rates of three agricultural export crops (cocoa, palm kernel and palm oil) in Nigeria between1970-2009. The result reveals that growth rates in export of these crops are higher in the financial sector reform period than in the pre-financial sector reform period except in palm kernel and are statistically significant at 5% probability level. This therefore suggests the need to enhance the production of these crops through provision of basic farm inputs, extension, proper financing as well as pursue policies that will encourage exportation and discourage the importation of these crops as the way out