Chemical weed control method was compared with the traditional hoe‐weeding practice in sorghum production. Traditional hoe‐weeding method showed slightly greater returns per hectare than the chemical weed control method. However, when returns to labour were considered, herbicide technology was superior to hoe‐weeding. Labour required for weeding was reduced by 60% with the use of herbicide. The technology thus reduced substantially, farmers’ dependence on hired labour for weeding operation. Traditional hoe‐weeding was found to be economically efficient given the current wage rate. The result therefore showed herbicide use as a useful complementary weedcontrolmeasure to hoe‐weeding on small farm holdings rather than a substitute in sorghum production.