Determinants of fish marketers' performance in Ebonyi State, Nigeria: A socio-economic perspective

The study examined fish marketers’ performance in Ebonyi State, Nigeria. Specifically the study described the socio-economic characteristics of fish marketers; analyzed the effects of socio-economic characteristics on fish marketers’ performance; and determined the major constraints faced by fish marketers in Ebonyi State. Data were collected using structured questionnaire administered in the form of interview schedule to one hundred fish marketers selected through multistage sampling procedure. Data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics such as frequency, percentages and mean, multiple regression and factor analysis. Results showed that majority (55%) of the fish marketers were female whose average age was 44years and mean household size of 7 persons. Majority of the marketers had formal education and earned an average annual income of N740, 421.05. Result of regression analysis indicated that marketing experience, age, education, membership of cooperative society, and annual income were significant determinant of fish marketers’ performance. Results of factor analysis showed that the constraints to fish marketing in the study area were high cost of preservation; inadequate supporting infrastructure; high inflation rate in the economy; poor marketing information; instability of purchase price, and high cost of transportation. It was concluded that the socio-economic characteristics of fish marketers had significantly influenced fish marketing in the area. It was recommended that marketers should form cooperatives to attract attention from government while government and other stakeholders should provide adequate credit facilities and improve infrastructure to enhance the performance of fish marketers in Ebonyi State.