An Analysis of the Supply for Seed Yams in Nigeria

This study was conducted to examine the supply of seed yam in major yam producing areas of Northern and Southern Nigeria using the supply function analysis. A cost-route approach was adopted in eliciting data from 120 seed yam farmers and marketers spread across the six states studied in 2006 using the multi-stage random sampling technique. Results show that price of seed yam and age had a significant relationship with value of seed yam supplied at the 1.0% level. Disposable income was significant at the 5.0% level, while labour cost and supplier experience were negatively related with value of seed yam supplied at the 10.0% and 1.0% levels respectively. Price of substitute and credit had a negative relationship with value of seed yam. The elasticity of supply of seed yam with respect to income is positive but inelastic while the elasticity of supply with respect to years of experience and labour were negative and elastic. Price of seed yam had positive price elasticity. Result of the field work show that there were no commercial structures for supply of seed yam in Nigeria. Farmer’s only sell seed yams after satisfying own requirements. The results therefore call for policies aimed at ensuring framers entitlement to productive resources and to target farmers in credit and large-scale farm enterprise.