Determinants Of Cost Of Marketing And Profit Of Cowpea In Umuahia North Local Government Area Of Abia State, Nigeria

ABSTRACT

This study examined the determinants of cost and profit of marketing of Cowpea, in Umuahia North Local Government Area of Abia State, Nigeria. Three markets were purposely sampled, while 45 wholesalers of Cowpea were randomly sampled from the three markets. Descriptive statistics, cost and return analysis and regression techniques were used to analyze the data collected. The results showed that there were more male than female wholesalers. Majority of the respondents did business with their personal savings, while a few obtained crcdits. The significant variables that influenced costs of marketing were level of education, seasonality of the product and house hold size of the wholesalers, while the significant variables that influenced profits were age of the wholesalers, household size and volume of sales. Major problems faced by the marketers were high transportation cost, bad road, poor market infrastructures, unstable pricing of commodity, and seasonality of the commodity. Based on the findings, it was recommended that if policies for eliminating these constrains be implemented. More people will take to this trade. The cost of the product as well as cost of production can be reduced when socio economic infrastructure arc improved in the region.