A Binary Logistic Regression Model For Assessing The Determinants of Postharvest Losses of Plantain Among Retail Traders in Benue State, Nigeria

This study aimed to assess the determinants of postharvest losses (PHL) of plantains among retail traders in Benue State, Nigeria. A simple random sampling technique was used to select 250 respondents across four local government areas: Buruku, Gboko, Makurdi, and Otukpo. Data were collected using standardized structured questionnaires. The socio-demographic analysis revealed that the majority of respondents were female 197(78.8%), with most 108 (43.2%) aged between 31-40 years. A significant proportion of traders had primary 74(29.6%) or secondary education 98(39.2%). Most respondents 140(56%) had trading experience ranging from 1-10 years, and the majority 156(62.4%) were married. On average, plantain traders reported losses of approximately 34 bunches per trading season, equivalent to an income loss of about N254,000, with 68% of these losses occurring during storage. The binary logistic regression analysis identified several factors associated with postharvest losses.