Profitability of rice production by rice farmers in Namalemba Sub County Iganga District

Abstract

This study looked at profitability of rice production by rice farmers in Namalemba sub county Iganga district. The objectives of the study were to characterize the farmers engaged in rice production in Namalemba sub-county, Iganga district, determine the profitability of rice production in Namalemba sub-county, Iganga district and to determine constraints of rice productivity and profitability in Namalemba sub-county, Iganga district. Different methods were to get reliable data from the field. These included both primary data and secondary data. The data collection instruments included the questionnaire and documentary sources. From the study majority in the community know how to read and write where 41.2% of the farmers had completed secondary level. Majority 67.5% of the farmers had an off farm employment (income) to supplement on their farm incomes. Majority 82.5% of the farmers earn More than 10,000 Ushs, while few 17.5% earn below the poverty line. The results suggest that the profit in rice production is highly associated with the type of Rice farmers grow with a mean of 2.4500 and SD of 1.25183. It is clear that, Families producing Rice have a high positive return to labor per acre hence indicating that Rice production is profitable. Results show that the Total Variable Cost (TVC) was higher than the Total Fixed Cost (TFC) per hectare associated with rice production. Farmers with no access to market information were being exploited by middlemen and traders by offering them low prices for their produce which would negatively impact on their profits (gross margin). The results revealed that farmers in Namalemba are faced with faced with Poor Soil Fertility, Poor Soil Fertility, Long drought, Poor seeds, Pests and diseases, Low skills for Irrigation, Land fragmentation and Inadequate manpower during production The study recommends that, there is need for farmers’ timely access to inputs at affordable prices and guaranteed facilitation to enable them stock adequate quantities like seeds and pesticides ahead of planting season. there is need to avail extension services to the farmers in Namalemba Sub County to inform and educate farmers in the sub county in question about the farming practices and management to increase the acceptability and adoption of rice production in the sub county. This could create awareness and spread information between farmers about the rice production.