PRODUCT STRATEGIES AND THE PERFORMANCE OF AGRO-BASED SMES IN ABA, ABIA STATE, NIGERIA.

This study is on effect of product strategies and the performance of agro-based small and medium scale enterprises (ASMEs) in Aba, Abia State. The study examined effect of product quality strategy, product image strategy, product branding strategy, product packaging strategy and the performance of agro-based small and medium scale enterprises in Aba, such as Valumbra Flour Industries, Plannet Palm Seed Industries, J. Udeagbala Holdings Nigeria Limited and Mikechips Industries. Survey design was used to gather data required for the study. The study covers marketing activities of manufacturers, retailers as well as the distributors of agro-based products in Aba. The population of the study comprises all registered agro-based small and medium scale enterprises (ASMEs) in Aba. The Taro Yamans’ formular was used to determine the sample size, and the simple random sampling technique was applied. The primary and secondary sources of data collection was used. Questionnaire was the research instrument for data collection.Chi-square and multiple regression was used for data analysis because bivariate hypotheses were tested. The result of the study is that product quality strategy, product image strategy and product packaging strategy has significant effect on the performance of agro-based SMEs in Aba. The study therefore recommendthat agro-based SMEs should make quality the focus. It also recommends that Nigeria Government should support the ASMEs, by financing the entrepreneurs to create more capital for investment. Finally the study recommends more findings on others product strategies in other to improve the performance of the ASMEs in Aba, Abia State.