The study was carried out in Umuahia Agricultural
Zone of Abia State to examine the profitability of
honey production. Information were elicited from 60
respondents randomly selected from a sample frame
of 80 registered Beekeepers in the zone by means of
structured questionnaire from where input and
output data were obtained. The data collected were
analyzed using descriptive statistics, gross margin
analysis, profitability ratio analysis and multiple
regression analysis. The result of the socioeconomic
variables showed that 93.3% of
respondents were within the highly productive agerange
of 20 – 50 years. It further revealed that there
was no gender discrimination (between male and
female) in beekeeping.
The result of the multiple regression analysis
showed that number of hives(x6), Fixed and Variable
assets (x7) Labour (x8), Baiting materials (x9) and
Availability of credit (x10) were all positively related
to productivity. The coefficient for age (x1) was
negative, but significant at 10% level of
productivity. The coefficients for Household size (x2)
and Gender (x5) were negative, but significant at 1%
level of probability, while the coefficients for
Number of hives (x6), Labour (x8), baiting materials
(x9) and Availability of credit (x10) were positive and
significant at 1% level of probability respectively.
Honey production in the area is profitable as a
beekeeper on the average realizes 255 litres of
honey per season and a net farm income of
N151,440.00. Also a return on investment per naira
was N1.46. The identified problems include; high
cost of production inputs (especially labour),
paucity of hives, inadequate capital, theft of hives
and honey, environmental problems, predators and
bush fire. As honey production attracts the attention
of a greater percentage of the populace these days
because of its profitability and a viable
complementary activity/quick returns, efforts should
be made by relevant authorities towards
ameliorating these problems of bee farmers in the
study area.