Trend of area, production and productivity of major cereals: India and Nigeria scenario

The study was conducted to examine trends in area, production and yield of cereals in India as well Nigeria from period 1982-2012. The secondary data collected from the FAO stat data base for the period and were used for the study. The average area, production and productivity in India under cereals was 99,787,727.63 ha, 215,096,746.9tonnes and 2.156 tonnes/ha respectively and from Nigeria was 77,547,885 ha, 101,037,721 tonnes and 1.30 tonnes/ha for area, production and productivity respectively. The computed growth trend for cereals in India was negative (-0.0750) and significant (P0.01) for area, and production computed growth trend was positive (0.84) and significant (P0.01) and growth for productivity was positive (0.94) and significant (P0.01). However, from Nigeria the computed growth were positive (1.056), (1.247), and (0.189) and significant at degree of probabilities 1%, 1% and 5% for area, production and productivity respectively. Although higher productivities were recorded India for rice, wheat and maize than in Nigeria except in millet and sorghum where reverse is the case. In both countries area for cereals is declining as such it is better to focus on increasing production through productivity by encouraging dissemination of high yielding variety, adequate input supply, transfer of technology and advisory services to the farmers engaged in the cultivation of cereals. Likewise, both countries witnessed instability with more than 10% instability index in area and production and a relatively stability in productivity was found.