ABSTRACT

This study focused on the marketing of selected edible fruits in Abia State. Data for the study were obtained from three markets; Umuahia main, Ariam and Ndoro markets in Abia State, Nigeria using structured questionnaire. Simple random sampling technique was used to collect data from sixty marketers with 20 selected from each market. The data collected wcre analyzed using descriptive statistics for the socio economic characteristics, problems facing fruit marketers, the various edible fruits traded upon and to estimate the marketing margins and net margins. Multiple regression fitted by means of ordinary least square (OLS) was used to analyze the factors that affect revenue derived by the fruit marketers from marketing. Results showed that fruit marketing is a profitable business from the result of marketing margin and marketing efficiency. It is advisable from the retail marketer point of view to buy banana (17.64%), pineapple (15.3%) and water melon (14.11%) in Umuahia market and also buy pineapple (19.44%), Avocado pear and pears (13.89%) in Ariam market and buy all the selected edible fruit in Ndoro market because it is cheapest. The price variation of fruits in the study area is also weak. The result of the analysis also showed that there is no relationship between revenue from fruit marketing and personal factors such as gender, marital status, marketing experience, storage facility and educational level received by respondents. However, there is significant relationship between revenue from the business and factors such as age, purchasing cost and number of fruits marketed. Recommendation includes government embarking on the construction of roads and maintenance of existing ones to ease the problem of transportation, price fluctuation due to seasonality of the commodity should be implemented, introduction of uniform and standard weights as well as provision of storage facilities in a bid to minimize variations in prices of fruits.