ABSTRACT

 This project focused on the economic analysis of marketing of cocoa in Umuahia, Abia State. Specifically, the objectives of the study were to: examine the Socioeconomic variables of the marketers, determine the marketing channel for cocoa, determine the marketing margin of cocoa in the study area, determine the problems in cocoa marketing and make useful recommendations based on the findings of the study. The research was carried out with the use of primary and secondary data. Data were collected using well structured questionnaire which served as a source of primary data. Secondary data was sourced from review of paper work, textbooks, journals, and magazine on marketing and related topics. The simple descriptive statistical instruments were used in analysis of data on respondent profile. These include percentages, frequencies and tables. The result of the findings showed that all the marketers are men and married. The result further revealed that marketing is mainly carried out by young and energetic people who are on their active working age. The survey also showed that most marketers of cocoa 'produce transport their produce with public vehicle and most marketers sourced their capital through saving and loans. The marketing channels of cocoa product were identified in which the producers or farmers of cocoa sell to the small traders, who in turn sell to the wholesalers and wholesalers sell to the exporters. The farmers sometimes sell to the wholesalers or directly sell to the exporters. The study also identified various problems occurred during marketing of cocoa produce in Umuahia which include inadequate transport facilities insufficient capital, inadequate credit facilitates, poor communication system and pest and diseases. From the findings it was recommended that; the farmers and marketers should be educated, formation of cooperative societies should be encourage among farmers and marketers, the government should help in providing loans for the farmers and marketers in getting good transport facilities, government should reconsider the abolished marketing board. Finally this project has given an insight on the economic analysis of marketing of cocoa in Umuahia, Abia State.