ABSTRACT
Fresh cassava roots have short shelf-life due to an endogenous phenomenon called Post-harvest Physiological Deterioration (PPD) which bring about post harvest losses leading to reduction in food security and income.This study analysed the economic analysis of post harvest loss of cassava tuber marketing in Uhunwode Local Government Area, Edo State, Nigeria. Specifically, the study determine the socioeconomic characteristics of the cassava marketers, the cost and return, the quantity and financial value of cassava loss and the constraints faced by the cassava tubers marketers.Data were collected from primary and secondary sources. A two stage sampling procedure which involve random sampling, was used for this study. The data was analysed using descriptive and statistical data and budget analysis.
The study showed that cassava tuber marketing was dominated by males (53.8%) over the female population of 46.2%, with a mean age of 50.79 showing they were in their most economically active stage. Additionally, majority of the marketers were married and has formal education with only 30% lacking any formal education with a market experience of mean 14.09 with most of them having a market experience of less than 10years. .The study showed that the total revenue from 0.418hectares was 159,943.75 Naira and a total cost of N140,097.15 Naira. The profit made was about 23,898.75 Naira showing profitability of the enterprise. Post harvest loss of the quantity and the financial value, result shows that for 0.418 hectares purchased a quantity loss of 0.028 hectares was incurred with a financial value of 4051.27Naira, thereby reducing the income of the cassava tubers marketers in the study area. The major constraints to cassava tubers marketing in the study area were transportation difficulty, perishability of the tubers, poor access to credit facilities and storage facilities.
It was therefore concluded that cassava tuber marketing is a profitable enterprise but the problem of post harvest loss has represented an obstacle in transforming cassava from a subsistence to a cash crop.
