ABSTRACT

The study analyzed market performance and welfare of oil bean (Pentaclethra macrophylla) seed marketers in Imo state, Nigeria. Specifically, it examined the socio-economic characteristics of oil bean seed marketers in the study area; determined the marketing performance, marketing margin and marketing efficiency; analyzed the level of market integration among markets in the study area, estimated the determinants of marketing efficiency among the marketers in the study area, examined the factors influencing the welfare of the marketers in the study area and identified the constraints militating against oil bean marketing in Imo state. A multi-stage sampling procedure was employed to select the 120 sample size used for the study, although only 114 questionnaires were completely filled and returned. Data analyses were carried out using descriptive analytical tools such as mean, frequencies, and percentages. Inferential statistics such as correlation and multiple regression analysis were also used in the data analysis. The result of the socioeconomic characteristics indicates that majority (60.53%) of the oil bean seed marketers were females with an average age of 45 years. About 60% of the oil bean seed marketers were married with average household size of 4 persons. About 88% of the oil bean seed marketers in the study area were literate with average farming experience of 8 years. Majority of the marketers (78.07%) had access to credit. The average net returns per month realized was N19,293.4 and N32,936.23 for retailers and wholesalers respectively and marketing efficiency were 9.15% and 14.13% for retailers and wholesalers respectively. The Pearson’s Product Moment Correlation (PPMC) shows that price of oil bean seed for source and destination markets were integrated.  Multiple regression on determinants of marketing efficiency among the marketers shows that age, household size, education, experience, marital status, distance and cost of oil bean seed purchased were the significant variables affecting marketing efficiency of the oil bean seed marketers in the study area. Multiple regression on determinants of welfare of the marketers shows that access to credit and income of household were positive and significantly influenced welfare of the marketers in the study. Also, the coefficient of age was negative and statistically related to welfare of the marketers in the study. The major constraints affecting Oil Bean marketing were perishability of the product, seasonal price variation and high cost of transportations. The research recommended that rural feeder roads should be rehabilitated by government to enable more cost effective movement of produce.