Nursery management practices and profitability of citrus planting material production among private nursery operation at Okumaning

Abstract

A survey was carried out among private nursery operators at Okumaning to examine their nursery management practices, production problems and the profitability of their operations using semi-structured questionnaires and focus group discussions. The results of the study revealed that although citrus planting material production serves as a source of livelihood for several youth in the area, problems of marketing, pests and diseases, high costs of inputs and lack of support services impede the enterprise. Nursery operators were found to exhibit poor knowledge in budwood-transmissible diseases which can have serious repercussion on the future of the citrus industry. The study also indicated that indiscriminate use of pesticides in citrus nurseries at Okumaning deserves special attention as it affects human health and pollutes the underground water and the streams along which the nurseries are cited. The cost/benefits analysis of this study suggests that the production of the citrus seedlings will be more profitable and efficient when a seedling is sold for at least (GH¢0.22) (US$0.23), which will give a return on investment of about 35% and above. The need to organize regular training sessions for the nursery operators to update their knowledge on basic nursery practices and identification and control of budwood-transmissible diseases is discussed.