ABSTRACT

The study critically examined the comparative analysis of white and yellow garri marketing in lkwuano Local Government Area of Abia State. A multi-stage method of sampling technique was used to select market and the respondents in the study area. The data was collected using a well structured questionnaire to select 80 respondence that is 40 of white and 40 of yellow garri marketers. Different analytical tools was used to analyze various objectives. Objective (i), (ii) and vi) was analyzed using descriptive statistical tools such as frequency count. mean and percentages. Regression model was used to analyze objective (iv) while in objective (v) z-test analysis was employed to determine the statistical difference between the mean income of yellow and white garri marketers respectively. The study specifically identified the main marketing channels and activities involved in the marketing of white and yellow garri; determined the costs, returns and marketing margin of white and yellow garri: estimated the factors affecting marketing efficiency of garri and examined the constraints militating against white and yellow garri marketing in the study area. The result of the analysis shows that majority of the garri marketers used local producers as who they buy garri from and home as where they bought their garri. Analysis of costs and returns of garri marketing indicate that both white and yellow garri marketing are profitable as shown by the positive net returns received. However, yellow garri marketers achieved higher net return of N 47.910 compared to 42,330.29 received by the white garri marketers. The marketing margin analysis also shows that pool' margins exist. The result of the marketing efficiency analysis revealed very high marketing efficiency for both the white and yellow marketers. 1-lowever, yellow garri marketers were more efficient than the white garri marketers. Analysis of factors affecting marketing efficiency of white and yellow garri marketing in the study area showed that among the variables considered as factors that influence the marketing efficiency of yellow garri in the study area, level of education, marketing experience and purchase cost were all positively significant at 1-percent level of significance while sex, age of marketers, depreciation in marketing tools, amount of credit cost and labour were all negatively significant at 1% level of significance while for white garri Age, household size, tranport cost, and purchase cost were significant variables that influence the marketing efficiency of whitc garri marketing. Z-test analysis of difference in their income gave a high mean income of 12, 636.66 for yellow garri marketers compared to lower mean income of NIl, 483.33 recorded for white garri marketers. z-cal was 3.6 18 with degree of freedom at 29. Since t-calculated > z-tabulated, the null hypothesis (Ho) is therefore rejected. This implies that there is significant difference in the income of yellow and white garri marketers in the study area. Analysis of constraints militating against operations of the garri marketing enterprises in Abia state revealed that 45% of the respondents encountered the constraint of frequent incidence of environmental disasters. 73% encountered the constraint of high wages of labour, all the sampled respondents encountei'ed high cost of inputs. On the constraint of inadequate processing ethicalities, majority of the respondents encountered it while 96% of the Respondents encountered lack of transportation and storage facilities as one of their constraints. However, all the sampled respondents' encountered lack of organized marketing channel 96% and 79% of the respondents on the other hand indicated the constraints of fluctuations in price of products and lack of access to credit facilities respectively. On the basis of the findings, the study recommended amongst others that given that education posted a positive coefficient, it is important that the garl'i marketers should be encouraged to organize periodic capacity building exercises to keep them abreast of times vis-ã-vis agribusiness investment especially in garri marketing