Analysis of Value Addition among Cashew Nuts Processors in Southwestern, Nigeria

Despite Nigeria being the hub of cashew production, processing and value addition activities remain at its lowest ebb. This study therefore analyze value addition among cashew nuts processors in Southwest, Nigeria. Multistage sampling technique was used to select 43 cashew processors. A Double-Log Regression Model and One-Way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) were used to analyses the data. The study revealed that in first year (2019) result, the coefficient of gender was positive and significant at 10% level. Weather variation is statistically significant at 10% level of confidence. Processing experience is another key factor that contribute to value addition of cashew nut in the study area. The cost of labour is significant at 1% and negatively related to value addition. For the year 2020, value addition of cashew nut producers reduces by 0.3306. Meanwhile the coefficient of weather variation, market price, drying labour space, distance to processing unit and years of experience showed positive relationship with value addition of cashew nut processors in the year 2020. It was concluded that in2019, an increase in male processors will lead to increase in value addition of cashew nut. Increase in weather variation will result to increase in value addition of cashew nuts through processors by 0.1834. Increase in change in weather will result to increase value addition. The result indicated that an extra unit cost of labour will reduce value addition of cashew. In 2020, this indicated that most cashew nut processors have over utilized labour and addition cost on labour will negatively affect their expected value addition. Therefore, more male individuals should engage in processing of cashew. cashew processors should manage weather variation properly and they should also optimize the cost of labour.