Analysis of Social Economic Factors Affecting Cocoa Production in Ile Oluji Community of Ondo State, Nigeria

Abstract

Ile Oluji is one of the communities known for cocoa production in the South West of Nigeria and thus selected to examine the factors responsible for decline in cocoa production in the country. Primary data was collected using a well-structured questionnaire and oral interview administered to 250 cocoa farmers selected across the 6 wards of the community using a multi-stage sampling technique. Data obtained were analyzed descriptively using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS, 23). Further analysis of the data through linear regression and analysis of variance at P ≤ 0.05 showed that all the factors, such as gender, sex, age, fungicides used and household size investigated are significant to the production of cocoa in this community. Younger ones, as well as women are to be encouraged to go into cocoa farming while the local breeds should be replaced with the hybrid for improved production.