QUALITY OF AGRICULTURAL INFORMATION ON CITRUS IMPROVED TECHNOLOGIES PRODUCTION AND MARKETING VENDORS IN NIGERIA
CHAPTER ONE
1.1 Background To The Study
Citrus fruits constitute vital fruit crop with highest value in terms of international trade. The market for citrus fruit consist of the fresh fruit market and the processed citrus fruits market which involves mainly of orange juice. Oranges account for most of the citrus production but significant quantities of pomeloes, grapefruits, lemons and limes are also grown. According to (UNCTAD), the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, the growth in the production of citrus is attributed predominantly to high consumer demand and preference for healthy foods, improvements in transportation and packaging, rising incomes and increase in cultivation areas. Changes in production were projected for the period of year 2000 to 2010 since high production levels have slowed the rate of new plantings. The New production strategy shows that the Productivity of citrus groves can be reserved at pre-Huanglongbing levels through a three pronged strategy with the aim of giving the greatest yields for the lowest costs. This is necessary as a result of the increased per acre cost of caretaking brought upon by Huanglongbing infection. The commercial citrus caretaker is therefore forced to spray his/her block of citrus several more times a year than normal, higher cost. Consequently the cost price of citrus per pound increase considerably .Therefore the price per pound of citrus must continue to increase in other for the business of citrus to remain profitable due to disease pressure.
Currently the use of Foliar fertilizers are spread on citrus trees at considerably higher rates than before for high yield production. Pesticide application timing, and pesticide choice is required for production efficacy.
Due to citrus green disease, the production of citrus nurseries in commercial quantities were relocated indoors so as provides clean citrus trees for the planting of citrus groves.
Citriculture production practices which constitute the new best management practices for commercial citrus growers against the citrus greening disease fight include vector control, foliar nutrition, and certified young trees .The research therefore proffer an Assessment of agricultural information on citrus improved technologies production and marketing in Benue state
1.2 Statement of the Problem
Citrus fruits constitute vital fruit crop with highest value in terms of international trade. The markets for citrus fruit consist of the fresh fruit market and the processed citrus fruits market which involves mainly of orange juice. Oranges account for most of the citrus production but significant quantities of pomeloes, grapefruits, lemons and limes are also grown. According to (UNCTAD), the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, the growth in the production of citrus is attributed predominantly to high consumer demand and preference for healthy foods, improvements in transportation and packaging, rising incomes and increase in cultivation areas. However the economic cost of implementing the new production method for citrus commercial quantities is high. This is due to the increasing cost of pesticides spray to combat the deadly citrus disease Huanglongbing (HLB), called citrus greening. Currently the use of Foliar fertilizers are spread on citrus trees at considerably higher rates than before for high yield production. Pesticide application timing, and pesticide choice is required for production efficacy. The problem of the research therefore centers on the Assessment of agricultural information on citrus improved technologies production and marketing in Benue state.
