Abstract:
This study explored the profitability of raw Bambara groundnut marketing in Enugu Metropolis,
Enugu State, Nigeria. Multi-stage survey design was used to sample 60 respondents by means of
well structured questionnaire. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to realise the
objectives. Majority of the respondents (78.3%) were males; the modal age was 43-53; mean
years spent in school was 16.07 years. Only (28.3%) had access to credit, while (71.7%) financed
their businesses through personal savings. Quantity of bambara groundnut sold was significantly
and positively influenced by: household size (p < 0.05); access to credit (p < 0.01); and access to
market information (p < 0.01). The following results were also observed: GPM 16.5%, NPM
14.7%, BCR 1.17:1, and ROI 17.3%. Major constraints include: inadequate finance with mean
score of (3.93), seasonal price fluctuations (3.93), poor road network (3.70), weevil attacks
(3.23) and high cost of goods (3.28). The study recommends that the relevant government
agencies should formulate policies that will enable the marketers to have access to cheap credit
facilities for expansions and even for new entrants, in order to reduce unemployment and poverty
levels in the area. Good road networks and commodity storage systems should be provided by
the agencies to ensure easy movement of goods, as well as curtail post-harvest losses. Also, the
marketers should form/join cooperative societies, and other market associations for easy access
to finance and other resources. |
