AKSU Journal of Agricultural Economics, Extension and Rural Development

THE STRUCTURE OF BANANA AND PLANTAIN MARKETING IN ENUGU STATE, NIGERIA

Author:  Obetta, A. E. and Taru, V. Bala

Abstract
The study analyzed the structure of Banana and Plantain marketing in Enugu State using survey research design method. Multi-stage sampling technique was employed in selection of 160 respondents (30 wholesalers and 50 retailers for banana, and 30 wholesalers and 50 retailers for plantain). Data for the study were collected from both primary and secondary sources. Time series data on retail prices of banana and plantain from 2011 to 2016 were obtained from Enugu State Agricultural Development Programme (ENADEP). Primary data were collected using structured questionnaire. Data collected were analyzed using simple descriptive statistics and Gini coefficient. The result showed that majority of the respondents (87.50 %) were females with average age of 35 years, 76.20 % of them were married while 41.20 % attained primary education. The mean scores for household size and marketing experience were 7 and 13 years, respectively. Also, 78.30 % of the wholesalers obtained their products in heaps directly from producers while 21.70 % bought from rural assemblers. Most of the retailers (78.00 %) obtained their products in bunches from wholesalers while 28.00 % bought from producers. The results of the Gini coefficient for banana and plantain retailers and wholesalers showed low levels of inequitable distribution of income amongst them. Inequalities existed more at retail level than at the wholesale level. The study recommended that government should set up fiscal and monetary policies that will stabilize price for consumable products like banana and plantain, government should also reduce the high inequality that exists among retailers by making available adequate credit to market participants at appropriate interest rates. Finally, government should formulate and implement policies targeted at improving infrastructures such as roads and providing market information outfit that disseminates information timely to marketers for improved marketing of banana and plantain.