STRUCTURAL CHARACTERISTICS AND CONDUCTS OF CASHEW NUT MARKETERS IN NORTH CENTRAL ZONE, NIGERIA

This study accessed the structural characteristics and conducts of cashew nut marketers in north central zone, Nigeria. Structured questionnaires were used to collect data from 396 cashew nuts marketers selected from Kogi, Nasarawa and Kwara States; using a multi-stage random sampling technique. Various statistical tools used in assessing market performance of cashew nuts marketers: percentages, frequency, Herfindahl-Hirschman Index, Gini coefficient was used to describe the structural characteristics and conducts of cashew nut marketers while factor analysis was employed to identify major constraints militating against the marketing of cashew nut in the study area. The Herfindahl-Hirschman Index (HHI) of 0.006 implies that cashew marketing is dominated by many sellers implying perfect competition among sellers. The Gini Coefficient ratio of 0.87 implies that there is lower level of market competition (imperfect competition) among marketers in the study area and the high market power is controlled by few marketers whose actions can influence market activities in the study area because they control larger share of income/revenue in the market. Many marketers were not members of marketing association. This study also revealed that there is unavailability of source of funding among marketers thus; many marketers rely on personal saving and family saving for their business.; Cashew nut produce was differentiated into wet (at the point of sale) and dried (before sale). Majority (59.6%) of cashew nuts marketed wet nuts while 40.4% of the marketers dried their cashew nuts before selling. The major constraints militating against marketing of cashew nuts in the study area were price instability (.865), unregulated market; (.788), lack of storage facilities (.830), inadequate/unstable supply (.770), high transportation cost (.734), poor institutional support (.670) among others. This study concludes that there is no transparency in market information among cashew nuts marketers in the study area and based on this empirical finding the following recommendations were suggested: Government in collaboration with Agencies and NGOs should ensure they continue to extend their production and marketing training programs to more marketers to ensure wider coverage among beneficiaries since many of the respondents are yet to benefit from trainings and researches; marketers should be encouraged through their cooperatives to provide storage facilities that will enable them store their produce and sell when the price appreciates; Government through the extension agents with the aid of social media and cooperatives should organize training to marketers to help improve their level of knowledge on marketing and pricing that would in turn increase their marketing efficiency level; farmers should be encouraged to form cooperative in order to help them minimize the exploitation by middlemen; financial institutions, exporters, processors and donor organizations should be linked to marketers in order to assist them with fund.