ABSTRACT
The study examined the efficiency of the legume market with respect to post -
harvest handling and the structure, conduct and performance of the marketing process.
The legume crops involved in the study are cowpea, groundnuts and bambara beans.
Bambara beans was however studied only at the farm level because of its limited sale at
the wholesale level.
The techniques employed for primary data collection include Rapid
Reconnaissance Survey, Participatory Rural Appraisal, Direct Observation, and Case
Studies. The data from secondary sources consisted of documented information from
institutions. They include wholesale prices collected mainly from the PPMED of the
Ministry of Food and Agriculture.
Methods for the analysis of data include descriptive and inferencial statistics.
Results obtained at the production level reveal that farmers have over the years developed
many storage structures and protection methods as measures to protect legumes, namely,
cowpea and threshed bambara beans, from destruction by insect pests during storage and
to promote food security. The treatment of legumes on farms involve the use of
traditional methods with limited application of chemicals. It was found that farmers store
larger quantities of groundnuts and bambara beans in villages than cowpea, which is
stored mainly in the markets by traders. The major marketing functions performed on
legume markets by middlemen include purchasing, assembling, and distribution.
Transporting, packaging, and storage were found to be important marketing services
supporting the markerting functions. Other functions observed include direct and indirect
financing through the provision of loans to farmers by traders and stock crediting among
traders.
Unlike bambara beans, cowpea and groundnuts were found to have a large
number of intermediaries in the trade resulting in a multi-marketing channel. A situation,
which contributes significantly to high marketing costs with consequent high consumer
prices. Both farmers and traders were found to have limited or no access to market
information on legumes prices and supply situations in the country. Insect pest damage
on markets was found to be high for untreated stocks, ranging from 3.4 to more than 70
percent in some cases, thereby resulting in price discounts. The results revealed annual
v
revenue losses to traders ranging from 11.7 — 58.4 percent of net revenue through price
discounts for damaged grades of cowpea, caused by weevils.
The results on pricing policies in the cowpea market give the indication of
collusive pricing policies, with an imperfectly competitive marketing system resulting
from traders’ monopoly of the market. The results also indicated weak associations
between cowpea markets with only 9 out of 56 market pairs being highly associated,
implying the existence of delayed transmission of price changes between cowpea
markets. For the groundnuts market, the results indicate the presence of a higher market
competition and a faster rate of price transmission between markets resulting in 22 highly
associated market pairs
The results of price spread estimations between farmers and wholesalers indicate
that groundnut farmers enjoy a higher share of consumer prices than cowpea farmers.
The study recommends that further study be made to identify simple, durable but
affordable structures for introduction to farmers for legume storage. The use of
underground storage facilities for instance may be additional options for study and
consideration. The study also recommends an aggressive approach to insect pest
eradication from farms and markets to forestall the incidence of seasonal produce damage
and enhance the elimination of revenue losses to traders and farmers particularly in the
cowpea market.
It is recommended therefore that trial experiments be undertaken to select the
most potent plant materials and their recommended dosage of application for
reintroduction to farmers as well as the use of appropriate and affordable solar energy
technologies for insect pests eradication. It is also recommended that the problem of
farmers’ inability to adopt high-yielding varieties be tackled from the market and
consumer levels in addition to the farm level.
Extension services need to be introduced to markets to help in educating traders in
operational practices and record-keeping as well as the formation of trader groups for
linkage to credit institutions for financial assistance.
Pest control and modem storage facilities need to be constructed in the wholesale markets
for the proper handling and marketing of grains, cereals and legumes.
BEDIAKO, J (2021). The Economics Of Post-Harvest Handling And Marketing Of Legumes In Ghana: The Case Of Cowpea, Groundnuts And Bambara Beans.. Afribary. Retrieved from https://track.afribary.com/works/the-economics-of-post-harvest-handling-and-marketing-of-legumes-in-ghana-the-case-of-cowpea-groundnuts-and-bambara-beans
BEDIAKO, JOYCE "The Economics Of Post-Harvest Handling And Marketing Of Legumes In Ghana: The Case Of Cowpea, Groundnuts And Bambara Beans." Afribary. Afribary, 09 Apr. 2021, https://track.afribary.com/works/the-economics-of-post-harvest-handling-and-marketing-of-legumes-in-ghana-the-case-of-cowpea-groundnuts-and-bambara-beans. Accessed 13 Nov. 2024.
BEDIAKO, JOYCE . "The Economics Of Post-Harvest Handling And Marketing Of Legumes In Ghana: The Case Of Cowpea, Groundnuts And Bambara Beans.". Afribary, Afribary, 09 Apr. 2021. Web. 13 Nov. 2024. < https://track.afribary.com/works/the-economics-of-post-harvest-handling-and-marketing-of-legumes-in-ghana-the-case-of-cowpea-groundnuts-and-bambara-beans >.
BEDIAKO, JOYCE . "The Economics Of Post-Harvest Handling And Marketing Of Legumes In Ghana: The Case Of Cowpea, Groundnuts And Bambara Beans." Afribary (2021). Accessed November 13, 2024. https://track.afribary.com/works/the-economics-of-post-harvest-handling-and-marketing-of-legumes-in-ghana-the-case-of-cowpea-groundnuts-and-bambara-beans