Abstract:
The study examined the market structure, profitability, determinant of net marketing income and
constraints to dry maize marketing in Imo state, Nigeria, Multi-stage sampling method was used
to select 100 respondents. Gini coefficient, budgetary technique and multiple regression were
used to analyse the data collected. Gini coefficient indices of 0.321 and 0.356 for producers/
suppliers of white and yellow maize 0.285 and 0.273 for wholesalers of white and yellow maize
and 0.0.224 and 0.198 for retailers of white and yellow maize reflected evidence of perfect
market.Net marketing income, return on investment, net return on investment of N9,498132.75,
1.7 and 0.7 for wholesalers of dry white maize, N8,905,392.4, 1.8 and 0.8 for wholesalers of dry
yellow maize; N10,694,204.25, 1.8 and 0.8 for retailers of dry white maize and N11,337,802.75,
1.9 and 0.9 for retailers of dry yellow maize respectively, proved the business profitable. Socioeconomic factors of the respondents especially marketing cost and product price statistically and
significantly influenced net marketing income. Constraints to dry maize marketing were high
cost of transportation, inadequate capital, storage pests and diseases, high market levy, unstable
prices, poor storage facilities, too many traders, inadequate market information and poor sales. |
