ABSTRACT
The study investigated the
economics of fish marketing in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria using primary data.
Purposive and multistage random sampling technique was used to collect the data
from 105 respondents using well-structured and pre-tested questionnaire. These
data were analysed using descriptive statistics, concentration ratio, price
spread, net profit margins, marketing margins analyses and multinomial logit
(MNL) models. Tests of significant differences and effects were carried out
using analysis of variance (ANOVA) and t-test techniques. Research results
showed that average age for the fish marketers were 38years for producers,
42years for wholesalers and 46years for retailers, and also that majority of
them were married. The results further showed that majority of the fish
producers and retailers had West African Senior School Certificate while most
wholesalers had First School Leaving Certificate. Also, the all marketers had
average household size of 5 members with 18years marketing experience for the producers,
and 15years for the wholesalers and retailers, respectively. Furthermore, the
study found that the marketers made use of referrals, price discount and home
delivery to attract customers. The results showed that the market was under
weak oligopoly at concentration ratio of 47%. This implies that the activities
of the largest four fish marketers affected the price and demand for fish in
the market. Further results showed that fish marketing was profitable with
channel 2 having the highest net margin of N141,095 per annum per
processing firm compared to channel 1 (N127,850) and channel 3 (N137,030)
while channel 1 had the highest marketing efficiency of 342% relative to
channels 2 and 3 with marketing efficiencies of 144% and 97%, respectively. The
results indicated that these differences in marketing efficiency among the
channels were significant at P<0.01. This implied that the longer the chain
of distribution, the higher the marketing cost and hence, the lower the
marketing efficiency. Furthermore, the study found that smoke-drying was the
predominant method of processing fish at frequencies of 64% for the producers,
90% for the wholesalers and 92% for the retailers. Use of hangovers was the
dominant method of storing fish at frequencies of 40% for the producers, 76%
for the wholesalers and 83% for the retailers. Also, motor-cycle was the
dominant method of transportation of fish for the producers and wholesalers at
frequencies of 73% and 61%, respectively, while use of bus/taxi was dominant
for the retailers at frequency of 76%. Further results showed that there were
challenges facing fish marketing at an average of 2.74 on a 4-Point Likert
rating scale. Lack of capital, seasonality of fish business, lack of government
assistance, produce deterioration, lack of storage facilities, poor extension
services and debt were the factors indicted for challenging fish marketing.
More so, the results showed that socioeconomic characteristics accounted for
the vertical differentiation of fish marketing into channels 1, 2 and 3 by 68%,
87% and 92%, respectively. Marital status, household size, value of fish and
membership of cooperative unions were the factors that significantly drove
vertical differentiation of fish marketing positively at P<0.05 while the effects
of age and sex were significant and negative at P<0.05. Firewood splitting,
fish transportation, loading/off-loading of fish, fish packaging, fish
processing and fish smoking were the activities that both males and females
participated in. This implied that the participation of both males and females
will enhance the marketing of fish. The study recommended policies that will
enhance that profitability and efficiency of fish marketing.
CHAPTER
ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1
Background of the Study
Agriculture
is the major economic activity of developing economies. In Nigeria, agriculture
provides food for the increasing population; supplies adequate raw materials to
growing industrial sector; is a major source of employment; generates foreign
exchange earnings; and provides market for the products of the industrial
sector (Okumadewa, 1997; World Bank, 1998; Winters, Janvry, Sadoulet and
Stamoulis, 1998; Food and Agriculture Organization, FAO (2006) as cited in Eze,
Lemchi, Ugochukwu, Eze, Awulonu and Okon 2010).
Fish is a
very important agricultural product in the country as it occupies a prime place
in the economy of the country. The term fish is a diverse group of animal that
live and breathe in water by means of gill. Fish is one of the most diverse
groups of animals known to man with over two thousand five hundred species.
There are more species of fish than all other vertebrate (Eyo, 1992). The
fishery sector is estimated to contribute about 3.5% to Nigeria’s Gross
Domestic Product (GDP), and also provides direct and indirect employment to
over six million people (Kwara State Government, 2010). The employment
opportunities come from different fishing activities such as production,
processing, preservation and transportation (Ali, Gaya and Jampada, 2008). The
Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN (2005) report shows that the contribution of the
fishery sector to the GDP of Nigeria rose from N76.76 billion in 2001 to
N162.61 billion in 2005.
Fish is a
very important agricultural product in Nigeria, and is largely consumed in the
country especially due to its rich nutritional and medicinal values. More so,
the large coastal area and continental shelf available in the country makes
diverse varieties available in different areas at affordable prices. Despite
these rich coastal and continental resource base of
The
geography and biodiversity of Nigeria supports fishing activities. Nigerian
coastal fishery sector is characterized by a rich resource base with a water
area of 140,000km2 and about
42,000km2 continental shelf areas, adjacent to the country’s 853km
coastline (FAO, 2007). The huge Niger Delta inland waters associated with River
Niger and.....
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Item Type: Postgraduate Material | Attribute: 76 pages | Chapters: 1-5
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