ABSTRACT

The study was carried out in Awka Agricultural zone of Anambra State to examine the economics of yam marketing in the zone. Specifically, the study examined the socioeconomic characteristics of yam marketers, the marketing channel and sources of yam supply, estimated the costs and returns using marketing margin model, examined the determinants of the quantity of yam handled by the marketers, and identified marketing constraints encountered by the yam marketers in the study area. To achieve these objectives, both yam wholesalers and retailers in the zone were purposively chosen. Primary and secondary data were used in the study. A well structured questionnaire was used to collect data from the five major markets in the zone. These comprised 60 wholesalers and 60 retailers. Simple descriptive statistical tools such as percentage, frequency tables, or1inary least square (OLS) multiple regression analysis, chow test and marketing margin analysis were used to analyze the data. Results showed that there is equal participation of both genders in yarn marketing, marketers in their middle age engage more in yam marketing, household sizes of both wholesalers and retailers, 60% and 55% respectively are at the range of 6 — 10, both the wholesalers and retailers had their secondary with 40% and 60% respectively, 25% of retailers and 57% of wholesalers are in the range of 6 — 10 years of trading experience and 77% of wholesalers use lorry and 50% of retailers use pickups buses as the mode of transportation. Also, results showed that the major sources of yam to the zone were Northern States and Delta areas of 3igeria. Participants in the distribution channel include producers, itinerant buyers, wholesalers and retailers. The marketing margin computed were 19% and 10% for the wholesalers and retailers respectively. The OLS result shows that the quantity handled by the marketers is determined by sex, age, educational level, main occupation and income level of the respondent which exerted 1% level of significance and cost of equipment which exerted 5% level of significance. Marketing problems encountered by the marketers were high transportation costs, inadequate credit facilities, fluctuations in yarn supply and prices and lack of standard units of weight measures and grades. Based on the findings, it is recommended that the formation of cooperatives and provision of moderate transportation cost by the government would improve marketing efficiency of yam in the study area.