ABSTRACT

This research is aimed at performance, evaluation of the marketers of fluted pumpkin in two Local Government Areas in Imo state, Nigeria (Owerri Municipal and Owerri West). There broad objective was to evaluate the mark ting performance of dry season vegetable (fluted pumpkin) production in Imo-State. A well structured questionnaires was used to collect data front 80 respondents (wholesalers and retailers) four markets were purposively selected for the study. The data obtained were analyzed with the use of descriptive statistics such as means frequencies and percentages, multiple regression analysis, cost and returns, profit margin and t-test analysis. The results of tamed from socio-economic characteristics of the respondents showed that it contributed to the successful performance marketing. Marital status, quantity sold, age, transportation cost were statistically significant at 10%, 1%, 1%, 10% in wholesalers and in retailers, cost of purchase, transportation cost were statistically significant at 1% 5% respectively and are positively related to profitability while household size, marketing experience were significant at 10%, 10% in wholesalers and in retailers, educational level, quantity sold, Age, were significant at 5%, 10%, 10% respectively and are negatively related to profitability. The result of the cost and returns showed that the average total profit made by fluted pumpkin marketers of wholesalers and retailers are N109 1900 and N3 10650. The average profit per marketer in wholesalers and retailers are N27,298 and N7,766. This results implies that the business is profitable to the wholesalers and retailers but the wholesalers make more money than the retailers. The result from the test of hypothesis showed that there was a significant difference between wet season fluted pumpkin and dry season fluted pumpkin marketing,. Generally, there should be access to loans in order to improve the overall performance of fluted pumpkin marketing in the state.