EXOTIC VEGETABLES IN BENIN CITY AND ITS ENVIRONS MARKETS.

ABSTRACT

Exotic vegetables in the African context are vegetables which originated from other continents but have overtime been integrated with the traditional African food culture and agriculture. In recent years, some exotic vegetables have taken prominence over the indigenous vegetables present within the continent which includes Nigeria. The study was a survey conducted in randomly selected markets (rural, urban and sub-urban) in Benin city and its metropolis in Edo state, Nigeria. A guided interview was conducted among the local traders with different types of vegetables on display in individual stalls and shops using questionnaires and information gathered was documented. Further identification of the exotic vegetables and information on their origin was done with the aid of textbooks and other reference materials. The recorded vegetables which were found in root, leaves and fruit forms belong to 10 families. The urban and sub-urban markets had the largest composition of exotic vegetables while the rural markets had the least. The study thus reveals that there are more exotic (indigenized) vegetables in the urban areas compared to the rural areas which is attributed to several factors that lead to their uneven distribution in these areas