The study examined performance of agricultural credit delivery on income of arable crop farmers in Niger State, Nigeria. Multi-stage sampling technique was used for the study and data were collected using structured questionnaires and interview schedules from a total sample size of 326. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, simultaneous equation model and Chow test. The result revealed that 60% of the respondents were within the age brackets of 31 – 50 years with average age of 45 years. Most (78%) of the respondents cultivated 0.5 – 3.0 hectares. The determinants of agricultural credit, potential credit demand and loan repayment were all significant at P≤0.01 probability level. Interest on loan, loan application cost, farm size and predicated loan repaid were all significant and important determinants of credit demand by farmers. However, coefficient of application form cost was negative; suggesting that high cost of loan application reduces credit demand among the beneficiaries. Furthermore, lending experience, transaction cost, credit source, interest on loans was significant at P≤0.1, P≤0.1 and P≤0.05 and P≤0.01, respectively, as the determinants of credit supply. The results revealed that late release of approved fund for disbursement, inadequate information and equipment, insufficient funds, loan diversion, illiteracy and lack of awareness; poor loan repayment and lack of infrastructure were the constraints affecting the loan beneficiaries. The constraints to credit by farmers included insufficient amount of loan, excessive bureaucracy, poor credit delivery, high interest rate, demand for collateral, short repayment period, farvouritism, lack of supervision and advisory services and dishonesty among lenders were the constraints affecting loan delivery by the beneficiaries. It was recommended that, formation of cooperative societies, use of credible credit officers and increase in farm size be put in place to effect the needed change in credit delivery in the study area.

The study examines the economic analysis and technical efficiency of watermelon production in Niger State of Nigeria. Multi-stage sampling procedure was used to draw up the sample and watermelon farmers in the area were the unit of the survey. Accordingly, 150 respondents were selected for the survey. Primary data were collected with the use of structured questionnaire. Information elicited for include socio-economic variables, farm information and management data, information on inputs and outputs and their relative prices, and information on constraints in watermelon production. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, farm budgeting techniques as well as stochastic frontier production function. The result of the analyses shows that the mean age of respondents was 41 years, 98% were males and most of them (88%) were married, and having average household size of 9 persons. A typical watermelon farmer in the study area realizes a gross farm income of N534,747.50/ha, and a net farm income of N459,769.56/ha and a return to investment of 6.13. The constraints to watermelon production in the study area include; inadequate capital for investment, high cost of inputs and their inadequacies, small farm size, poor market integration/pricing of produce, inadequate rainfall, problem of pests/diseases infestation, etc. It was concluded that watermelon is a profitable venture whose production can be increased if more land can be put under cultivation, ensuring that farmers have access to production inputs, provision of infrastructural facilities, land like good roads.

The study assessed the transaction cost of Melon ‘egusi’ in Bida Local Government Area (LGA) of Niger State, Nigeria. A Multi-stage sampling procedure was used to draw samples from the study area. Data collected with the aid of questionnaire were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics, as well as gross margin analysis. The results revealed that majority (57%) of the sample marketers were males. Also, the results revealed that larger proportion of these actors were between the ages of 36 and 40 years with a mean age of 38 years. Majority (77%) of the marketers were married, with larger proportion (30.0%) having marketing experience of between 6-10 years. The mean marketing experience was 13 years. Larger proportion (33.0%) of the respondents had between 6-10 persons as family size, with a mean household size of approximately 11 persons. Majority (81.0%) had one form of modern education stitches or the other. The effect of marketing cost on final price of melon in the study area showed an R2 value of 0.685. However, the variables such as cost of loading, cost of offloading, distance from the farm to market, quantity of melon transported to the market and cost of transportation were positively related to the final price of marketing melon. The significant variables that influence the final price were; cost of loading, cost of off-loading, and distance from farm to the market. Cost of loading and distance to the market were significant at P≤0.01 Also, the coefficient for cost of off-loading was significant at 10%. The generated revenue from the sales of melon was N35,093.33, whereas, the total costs incurred from the melon marketing was N32,645.0, with a net income of N2,448.30. The constraints to melon marketing in the study area include; poor feeder road (68.3%), price instability (66.7%), and low demand/supply (31.7%). It was recommended that government and other stakeholders should help provide good marketing infrastructure for efficient marketing such as good feeder roads that link the rural areas to major cities/major consuming centres. It was also recommended that there should be regular capacity building to empower the marketers to acquire skills for effective negotiations so as to reduce transaction costs (loading, off-loading, security) and farm gate price will reduce the final price.