Determinants of Efficiency of Small Holder Pond Cat Fish in Umuahia North Local Government Area, Abia State Nigeria
[1]
Ukagbu C., Department of Agricultural Economics and Extension, Abia State University, Umuahia Location, Abia State, Nigeria.
[2]
Udah S. C., Department of Agricultural Economics and Extension, Abia State University, Umuahia Location, Abia State, Nigeria; Division of Resource Management, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia, U. S. A..
This research is on how to determine the efficiency of small holder pond cat fish marketing in Umuahia North local government area Abia State, Nigeria. The study employed both purposive and simple random sampling techniques to get 160 respondents for the study. Out of 10 autonomous communities where pond cat fish production and marketing is carried out, 4 communities were purposefully selected. 2 villages were randomly selected from each of the 4 communities which gave a total of 8 villages. 10 producers and 10 marketers of pond cat fish were randomly selected from each of the 8 villages giving a total of 80 producers and 80 marketers of pond catfish. They were personally interviewed with structural questionnaires. The result of the marketing margin analysis showed that the producers have the highest margin (N250.00) and the highest percentage share (50%) of the market among the stake holders. The marketing efficiency result showed that the producers were more efficient in the marketing process of pond cat fish. The result of the regression analysis with double log functional form as the lead equation, showed that six out the eight explanatory variables had significant coefficients at given levels. However, the combine effect of all variables in the pond cat fish marketing efficiency explained 99.1% of the variation in the dependent variables. The result also revealed that the problem encountered by most the respondents was the problem of inadequate storage facilities. It was recommended that government at all levels should subsidize private sector and partner with them to build storage facilities in form of cold rooms where farmers and marketers can store their products for future sales. This provides time utility as it has a tendency of maintaining steady supply of fish. The producers and marketers should be encouraged to form a co - operative society. This is necessary as it will enable them pool their resources together and purchase improved processing machines and encourage large scale production - enabling employment opportunity. Advance training in fishery husbandry should be encouraged. This will ensure increased efficiency as new ideas and innovation are introduced by higher educated farmers.
Marketing Infrastructure, Marketing Share, Infrastructural Facilities, Cooperatives, Storage Facility
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