Assessment of Marketing Constraints to the Development of Aquaculture in Ado – Ekiti, Ekiti State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study was set out to examine the socio – economic profile of people involved in the marketing of aquacultural products and to identify the basic problems affecting the marketing of aquacultural products in Ado – Ekiti, Ekiti State, Nigeria. Method used was the distribution of questionnaires to fish marketers and fish farm owners/managers. The questionnaires were designed to record responses to specific questions on the socio – economic profile of people involved in the production and sales of aquaculture products and assessing constraints affecting their business.

The results of the analyses show that the majority of the fish farmers were male constituting 83.33% while ratio of male: female for fish marketers was 26.67%:73.33% and 80% were in their youthful age from 31 –50 years.

Constraints to fish products sale on the part of the farmers were: poor transportation to the market and the activities of thieves/poachers ranking the highest while on the part of the marketers, they include: lack of electricity supply for preservation, high rate of loss due to spoilage and poor transportation to the market.

It is recommended that Government should assist fish farmers and marketers with loans to enable them to carry out their aquacultural projects and make it possible for them to get basic tools and implements and other rearing and selling inputs at subsidized prices.