ABSTRACT

This study was conducted to analyze the market efficiency of some indigenous forest trees species in Abia State, Nigeria. The timber markets were purposively selected from each of the three senatorial districts of Abia State, namely: Umuahia Timber Market (Abia Central), Aba Timber Market (Abia South), and Ebem Ohafia Timber Market (Abia North). Primary and secondary data were used in this study. From the result, the age distribution ofthe marketers in Ehere Aba ranged from 30 to 59 years, the age distribution ofthe marketers in Urata Aba ranged from 23 to 60 years, the age distribution of the marketers in Umuahia ranged from 23 to 60 years, and the age distribution ofthe marketers in Ohafia Aba ranged from 27 to 50 years. From the result, Urata Aba timber market had the highest 105 (100 %) male respondents while 38 (29.9 %) of the respondents in Umuahia timber market completed their primary education.84 % of the respondents in Umuahia, Urata and Ehere affirmed that they market Ceiba pentandra, Terminalia superba, Milicia excelsa, Khaya irvorensis and Brachystegia eurycoma. Mean sells per day were 215.0000, 158.8889, 190.4545 and 275.7143 for Ehere timber market Aba, Urata timber market Aba, Umuahia timber market and Ohafia timber market respectively. Rate of return on investment were N 4.644684, N 8.315934, N10.614 and N 4.378377 for Ehere, Urata, Umuahia and Ohafia respectively. Findings from this study showed that timber trade is profitable and generate income for the participants as a greater proportion are above poverty line. This confirms that timber trade contributes to raising incomes and poverty alleviation of the participants. Therefore the need for sustainable management of timber resources is germane in promoting forest based enterprise which could provide employment that can generate income for improvement of well-being. Deliberate efforts should be made to encourage the marketers in investing in regeneration offorest trees in the state