This study was undertaken to analyze resource productivity in
ornamental plants production within Jos metropolis of Nigeria. The
study covered Jos North and Jos South local government areas. The
specific objectives include: identifying the effect of socio-economic
factors on resource productivity, determining costs and returns, and
resource productivity in ornamental plants production.
An extensive literature review was carried out to provide an indepth
knowledge of the study. The cluster sampling procedure was
used because the nurseries are located in clusters. Data was collected
from the nursery owners. Six respondents from each cluster and five
clusters from each local government area were selected using the
simple random sampling method at each sampling stage. Each of the
two local government areas was administered the 30 questionnaires
making a total of 60 respondents.
Results revealed that 60% of respondents were aged between 41
– 50, while 80% had some years of tertiary education. Also 60% of the
respondents’ nurseries were less than a quarter of an acre. About 40%
had horticulture as their primary occupation, while 40% and 20% had
business and civil service respectively as their primary occupation.
The ornamental plants producers made a net farm income of
N351,196 per annum and a naira invested gave returns of N1.10.
The regression analysis gave positive coefficients for labour,
cuttings, pesticides, water, top soil and polythenes which were
significant (P<0.05). However, manure, fuel transportation and annual
rent had negative coefficient. Also the regression coefficient of socio
economic variables such as education, age, nursery size were positive
and significant. Household size had a positive coefficient but was
insignificant (P<0.05). Ornamental production experience had a
negative coefficient and was insignificant
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The ratio of marginal value product to marginal factor cost
showed that cuttings, pesticides, water, top soil, and polythene was
greater than one, while that of manure, labour, fuel, transportation
and annual rent less than one. The implication is that the former
inputs were used below the economic optimum while the latter were
used above the economic optimum. Also, ornamental plants
producers’ profit could be increased by increasing the use of labour,
cuttings, pesticide, water, top soil, and polythenes while decreasing
the use of fuel, manure transportation and annual rent.
The study showed that ornamental plants business is profitable.
It could serve as supplemental source of income. The study showed
that only 30% of ornamental plants producers belong to registered
cooperatives. It is recommended that they organized themselves into
cooperatives in order to access funds, inputs and information on
current trends in ornamental plants production. Government on it its
side should consider ornamental plants producers in the allocation of
farm inputs. Also, special sites should be a assigned for ornamental
plants production in new government layout. Ornamental plants
production needs to be encourage and sustained as it is a profitable
venture. Producers need to pay more attention towards efficient
utilization of resources. Agricultural policies that favour this venture
will be of great importance to ornamental plants producers.