Cost of Yam Farming Per Hectare in Nigeria
The cost of yam production per hectare is shown as follows:
- Acquisition/Rent of one hectare farmland : ₦50,000 – ₦400,000
- Surveying and Land Documentation: ₦90,000 – ₦190,000
- Clearing, Ploughing and Harrowing: ₦40,000
- Yam Cuts: ₦50,000
- Planting: ₦20,000
- Irrigation: ₦290,000 – ₦640,000 (Optional)
- Fertilizers and Manure: ₦50,000 – ₦200,000 (Depending on soil fertility)
- Pesticides: ₦20,000
- Others: ₦90,000
Notes to the cost of yam production per hectare in Nigeria
The following are the items in the cost analysis of a 1 hectare yam farm:
Acquisition of farmland
You will need to acquire a farmland for you to engage in yam farming. You can either acquire a farmland or you rent or lease a farmland. Renting a farmland may be cheaper in the short term.
The cost of land acquisition for one hectare is usually ₦50,000 – ₦350,000 depending on your location. It is cheaper to rent a farmland than outright acquisition.
Surveying and Land Documentation
The cost of surveying the farmland acquired and other documentations is usually ₦90,000 – ₦190,000. Some yam farmers do not need to incur this cost as they do not survey and do any documentation for their farmland.
Clearing, Ploughing and Harrowing
The cost of clearing, ploughing and harrowing should be ₦4,000. This cost can vary as per your location. The use of tractors is faster but can also be more expensive than the use of labourers for land clearing.
Yam Cut
As a new yam farmer, you may need to buy yam cuttings to be used to grow yam. The cost of yam stems needed for one hectare of yam farmland should be around ₦50,000.
Planting
The cost of planting of yam cuts per hectare is assumed to be ₦20,000. The cost of planting yam stems varies as per location. The use of machines can reduce the cost of planting yam stems on large acreages of land.
Irrigation
Irrigation may be used for yam farming. The cost of irrigating a one hectare farmland of yam is assumed to be ₦290,000 – ₦640,000. It should be noted that a significant percentage of yam farmers in Nigeria do not use irrigation for yam growing, they rather rely on the rains.
Fertilizers and Manure
The cost of manure and fertilizers per hectare of yam is assumed to be ₦50,000 – ₦200,000. It should be noted that the actual cost of fertilisation will vary as per the fertility of your soil. Farmers with fertile soils will spend less on fertilizers and manure. The best fertilizer for yam farming is a balanced fertilizer like NK 15:15:15.
Pesticides
The cost of pesticides is expected to be ₦20,000. Yam farmers in Nigeria hardly use pesticides because yam is a hardy and resilient crop. However, if your yam farm is infected with pests and diseases, you will need to use pesticides.
Others
Other expenses are expected to be ₦90,000.
How profitable is yam farming in Nigeria
Yam farming is profitable if done the right way. The Returns on Investment (ROI) on yam farming is 50% – 300% depending on the yield and the season.
The prices of yam are usually high at some years. The prices of yam also have the peak time and the off peak time every year. The onus is on the farmer to try to harvest and sell his yam produce when the prices are at the highest level, this usually occurs at the best month of the year. This will make the farmer maximize his profit.
About Yam Farming
Yam farming is the cultivation of yam from the initial step of land preparation to the final steps of harvesting the yam tubers, storage and marketing. Yam farming involves all the steps needed for a farmer to sow the yam cuts or seeds in the soil till the last step of harvesting the tuber.
Yam is a tuber crop popularly grown in Nigeria. The largest growers of yam in Nigeria are the farmers in the central states of Nigeria like Benue state, Nasarawa state, Taraba state and Abuja.
Do you grow yam? If yes, why not share the cost of your yam farming venture with us in the comments’ section.
