Browsing by Author "Aidoo R."

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    Assessing the performance of the grain legume marketing system in northern Ghana
    (Academia, 2013) Aidoo R.; Mensah J.O; Opoku A; Abaidoo R. C
    The main objective of this study was to examine costs, returns and efficiency levels associated with the activities of key players in the grain legume marketing chain in northern Ghana. A total of 140 market participants comprising 93 retailers, 39 wholesalers and eight (8) assemblers/aggregators were selected from major and satellite markets in the three Northern Regions of Ghana through a multi-stage sampling approach. Data for the study was obtained through personal interviews with the use of structured questionnaire. In addition to descriptive statistics, gross marketing margin, net margin and marketing efficiency analyses were performed using field data. The study identified a long chain of greater than four different channels/pathways through which grain legumes moved from farm gate to final consumers. Marketing of grain legumes in the study Districts was found to be profitable, as only 18% of gross marketing margin was spent as marketing costs, with the remaining amount retained as net marketing margin. The study further showed that net marketing margins were not equitably distributed among different trading partners along the marketing chain. Generally, net marketing margin for assemblers/aggregators was far higher than that received by wholesalers and retailers. Marketing activities by all traders in the grain legume value chain were performed efficiently, with efficiency ratios far in excess of 100%. Trading in groundnut was far more profitable than trading in cowpea and soyabean. The main constraints identified by grain legume traders were limited access to credit, high cost of transportation, poor road network and inadequate storage facilities
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    Estimation of Margins and Efficiency in the Ghanaian Yam Marketing Chain
    (: Asian Economic and Social Society, 2012) Aidoo R.; Nimoh Fred; Bakang John-Eudes Andivi; Ohene-Yankyera Kwasi; Fialor Simon Cudjoe; Osei Mensah James; Abaidoo R. C
    The main objective of the paper was to examine the costs, returns and efficiency levels obtained by key players in the Ghanaian yam marketing chain. A total of 320 players/actors (farmers, wholesalers, retailers and cross-border traders) in the Ghanaian yam industry were selected from four districts (Techiman, Atebubu, Ejura-Sekyedumasi and Nkwanta) through a multi-stage sampling approach for the study. In addition to descriptive statistics, gross margin, net margin and marketing efficiency analyses were performed using the field data. There was a long chain of greater than three channels through which yams moved from the producer to the final consumer. Yam marketing was found to be a profitable venture for all the key players in the yam marketing chain. Net marketing margin of about GH¢15.52 (US$9.13) was obtained when the farmer himself sold 100tubers of yams in the market rather than at the farm gate. The net marketing margin obtained by wholesalers was estimated at GH¢27.39 per 100tubers of yam sold, which was equivalent to about 61% of the gross margin obtained. Net marketing margin for retailers was estimated at GH¢15.37, representing 61% of the gross margin obtained. A net marketing margin of GH¢33.91 was obtained for every 100tubers of yam transported across Ghana’s borders by cross-border traders. Generally, the study found out that net marketing margin was highest for cross-border yam traders, followed by wholesalers. Yam marketing activities among retailers, wholesalers and cross border traders were found to be highly efficient with efficiency ratios in excess of 100%. However, yam marketing among producer-sellers was found to be inefficient with efficiency ratio of about 86%.The study recommended policies and strategies to be adopted by central and local government authorities to address key constraints such as poor road network, limited financial resources, poor storage facilities and high cost of transportation that serve as impediments to the efficiency of the yam marketing system in Ghana.