There is a need to ascertain the competitiveness of tea production in order to determine the level of its productivity. However, there is a dearth of information on the competitiveness of tea production. Therefore, this study investigated the competitiveness of tea production and the challenges in tea value chain on Mambilla plateau in Taraba State. Simple random sampling technique was used to select 136 respondents from 3 communities on the plateau. Structured questionnaire was used to elicit information from the respondents and the data retrieved from the information collected were analysed using descriptive statistics as well as Policy Analysis Matrix (PAM). The result of the analysis showed that 63.24% of the respondents were 40 years and below while 75.74% of the respondents had primary school education and above. The Private Profitability (PP) of tea production was positive and the Private Cost Ratio (PCR) was less than 1 showing that tea production in the study area was competitive. Lack of finance and fertilizer/pesticides, lack of market demand, lack of access to market and lack of modern equipment were identified as the problems affecting tea value chain in the study area. The study hereby recommended that government needs to assist the farmers financially in order to expand their farms.
Competitiveness, tea, production, challenges, value chain
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