ASSESSMENT OF FISH MARKETING ACTIVITIES IN EDO STATE: A CASE STUDY OF AKOKO-EDO AND OREDO LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREAS

ABSTRACT

Marketing of fish is a major and final production activity required by fish producers to generate revenue and recover the investment. Poor marketing may result in poor returns. The study is aimed at assessing the fish marketing activities in Edo State in particular Oredo and Akoko Edo Local Government Areas with focus on major marketing agent namely farmers, marketers and consumers. One hundred and twenty well-structured questionnaires split into three group for farmers, marketers and consumers. 20, 60 and 40 questionnaires were administered to farmers, marketers and consumers across the two local government areas (Akoko Edo and Oredo local government areas). The respondents were randomly selected while the LGA were purposefully selected. The result showed over 70% of the respondents across the three groups were married people with at least primary school certificate, the consumers data revealed that most of them were single. It was observed that over 75% farmers were male and over 80% of marketers were females and while there were more female consumers over 50% than male consumers. Also, the ages of most of the respondents over 70% across the three groups were between 21-40years which is the economic active years. It also showed that most market women have more than 5 years (83.4%), of experience and most of the funding for farmers and marketers are from personal income (90.2%). It also shows that the sold and farmed species is Clarias gariepinus over 80% with a few Tilapia species in the midst. The research also provided the information that most marketers prefer to buy fresh live fish (100%) and then process it and most farmers sell their fishes fresh and alive (86.4%) and most preferred size of fish by consumers is table sized fish (87.6%), while most farmer engage in the production of fingerlings and table sized fishes (56.5%). Therefore, government should encourage participation in fishing activities by providing loans and subsidized capital inputs and also make aquaculture a more important sector, provide infrastructures and basic amenities in rural areas to also encourage more rural participation in this section.