AGRICULTURAL MARKETING IN ENUGU STATE: PROBLEMS AND PROSPECTS
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Agriculture is and still remains an important sector of the Nig Agriculture is and still remains an important sector of the Nigerian economy inspite of the importance of crude oil which has been unduely emphasized on agriculture. Its practice has remained within a subsistence level at a time in the past.
Reports from the food and agricultural organization shows that by the year 2010. Nigeria will be able to meet only 37% of the food need of its projected 150 million people. No doubt agriculture provides the greatest avenue for employment, income and food for the Nigeria populace its intrinsic position as a source of raw-materials for key industries and a major source of foreign exchange earning has further- added to its pre-eminence among all known occupation. However the performance of this sector as regards agricultural production varied widely over the past two decades the enabling environment prevalent at different point in time, have greatly influenced it.
Apparently agricultural marketing to a larger extent may be said to begin when farmers plan their output or the expected market prices. To the layman agricultural marketing could be taken as the bridge or connecting link between specialized agricultural producers and final consumer. But their in as a much as this view is myopic a broader perspective of agricultural marketing is that it is the performance of all business activities involved in the flow of agricultural production to the point of consumption for further to this the dynamic of agricultural marketers on the food and raw-material demands in their territory and which apparently helps farmers in their production planning. In other products being efficiently and effectively delivered to the consumers or usrs.
Normally, consumers and interested in securing the highest food value at the lowest possible price while at the same time. Farmers want the highest possible returns from the sale of their produces, along the line middle-men seek to earn the greatest possible profit pricing policies and behaviours are therefore important indicators to both the middlemen and the society in general. To explain further to the middlemen, price changes determines gross margin and profitability; and for the society, price directly effect aggregate price levels of the economy and hence consumer welfare.
Agricultural products uniquely depend on a adequate and flexible transportation system that is why the ministry of agricultural focus on the geographic movement to acquire their market value and also because of the extent to which climate or weather determines where or when and in what quantity transportation services will be needed.
This study tends to look into the problems and prospects of agricultural marketing within a state and within states creates the need for exchange which in the other hand calls for the might or important middlemen.