the Symposium on Wheats for More Tropical Environments - cimmyt

329Comparative MarketPrices of Staple Food CropsWheat substitutes for o<strong>the</strong>r cereals inproduction and consumption in Nigeria;Table 2 compares <strong>the</strong> price of wheatwith <strong>the</strong> market price of some o<strong>the</strong>rstaple food crops. The local marketprice for wheat remained higher thano<strong>the</strong>r cereal prices until 1980. whenmore wheat became available on <strong>the</strong>local market; it was being substitutedfor sorghum and millet whoseproduction had suffered a setbackbecause of bad wea<strong>the</strong>r and maizeencroachment into <strong>the</strong> traditionalsorghum/millet zones. Although <strong>the</strong>recently announced price ofUSS 585/ton leaves some profit marginfor wheat growers. <strong>the</strong> local marketprice can be as much as three timeshigher. explaining why locallyproduced wheat is not getting to <strong>the</strong>mills.ConclusionsThe policy to produce wheat underlarge-scale irrigation schemes hasgenerated a number of criticisms:• Import substitution through localwheat production has led to allocationof resources to wheat at <strong>the</strong> expenseof crops more natural to <strong>the</strong> domesticenvironment (3);• Despite huge investments. fewerfarmers have benefited. as comparedto schemes designed for rainfedagriculture. Because of <strong>the</strong> irrigationprojects. many farmers have lost <strong>the</strong>irland without adequate compensation(7);• Very little attention was paid to <strong>the</strong>economic feasibility of <strong>the</strong> schemeduring <strong>the</strong> planning stage. andTable 1. Comparative costs and returns of irrigated wheat and rainfed maize and sorghum,Nigeria, 1983-84Costs and returns (US$)Production factors Wheat Maize SorghumOutput (kg/ha) (2500) (2928) (1650)Value.A/ 1462.05 1522.56 900.90Labor cost/ha 404.57 445.58 312.00Cost of inputs o<strong>the</strong>r than laborSeed 77.06 15.60 15.60Fertilizer 67.43 57.20 44.20Herbicide 89.70 78.00Depreciation of oxen and equipment 78.00 78.00Water charges 48.17Tractor charges 111.89Total cost/ha 709.12 686.08 527.80Net return/ha 753.38 836.48 373.10.A/ Wheat was valued at about US$ 0.59/kg, maize .52/kg and sorghum .55/kg