Abstract

The study on the analysis of socio-economic factors influencing egg production was carried out in Irepodun Local Government area of Kwara State, Nigeria. The specific objectives were to: describe the socio-economic characteristics of egg farmers; determine the effect of socio-economic variables on egg production and identify the constraints faced by poultry farmers in the study area. Purposive sampling technique was employed for the study. Structured questionnaire was administered to fifty-eight (58) poultry egg farmers. Descriptive statistics and multiple regression models were used as analytical technique. The findings indicated that most of the respondents (62%) were males and between 40-49 years of age and with an average of 7 years’ experience in the business. Furthermore, egg production business in the area was found to be dominated by small scale poultry-egg farms which accounted for about 50% of the total farms. It was found that over 98.2% of the cost of production was on the variable inputs. Only the parameters estimate of flock size, feed intake and labour were of statistically significant, indicating that Flock size contributed incrementally to the total value of poultry-egg output in the study area. The study also revealed that farm size and extension contact were the major socio-economic variable that as a significant effect on the farmer’s revenue. The study identified limited finance and high cost of inputs as the most serious constraints to the poultry-egg business in the area. It is recommended in the study that a modern feed mill should be established in the state by all stakeholders in the poultry sub-sector; extension agents should be encouraged; credit and inputs should be made available and affordable to poultry farm owners.