The Role of the Cooperative Societies of Gum Arabic Producers in Promoting Gum Arabic Production and Marketing in North Kordofan State, Sudan
[1]
Taha Mohamed El Nour, Senior Lecturer and Associate Professor in Forest Economis, Faculty of Natural Resources and Environmental Studies, Kordofan University, the Sudan.
[2]
Tsegaye Bekele, Senior Lecturer and Associate Professor in Wood Technology at Wondo Genet College of Forestry and Natural Resources, Hawassa University, Ethiopia.
[3]
Elgaleem Ahlam, Lecturer in Faculty of Natural Resources and Environmental Studies, Kordofan University, the Sudan.
This study was conducted in Sheikan and Om Rowaba sites in North Kordofan State, Suudan. It is focused on the role of Cooperative Societies of Gum Arabic Producers in promoting gum arabic production and marketing. The objective of the study was to investigate production, marketing and general services provided by these societies. Primary data were obtained through use of questionnaires and from personal observations. Secondary data were obtained from respective sources, references and related relevant institutions. Data were analyzed using simple descriptive statistics and partial budget analysis for determination of net returns to producers by comparing three groups: group one obtaining benefits from Cooperative Societies of Gum Arabic Producers (CSGAPs), group two benefiting from Gum Arabic Company (GAC) and the third group not benefiting from both. Analysis of marginal gross returns and costs per hectare was carried out for the three groups. The results of the investigation showed that the gum arabic producers group benefited from GAC obtained a net profit of 79.3%. The gum producers obtained a net profit of 66.1% from CSGAPs, while the non-benefiting group gained 49.9% of the net revenue. Production and marketing costs were found to be the highest in case of non-benefiting group, followed by the group benefiting from CSGAPs and lowest cost of production and marketing was found in the case of the group benefiting from GAC. Results of analysis of variance (p<0.05) showed no significant differences between the three groups as far as average costs and returns are concerned. The discriminate analysis of average increase in production and returns of marketing gum arabic showed also no significant differences between the three producers groups except in the case of transportation costs from production areas to marketing points for all. The study results have identified problems in study area that included misunderstanding of producers by administrators on the role and organization of CSGAPs. In addition to inadequate finance, the CSGAPs in the study area were found to be not efficient. Services provided by CSGAPs did not result in bringing significant differences between members of societies compared to those not benefiting from CSGAPs with respect to production and marketing of gum arabic as well as increase of returns from sales of gum arabic.
Cooperatives, Company, Returns, Costs, Finance, Infrastructure, Awareness
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