Annual Production and Consumption of Irvingia Species Fruit Waste (Pulp) in Yenagoa Local Government Area, Nigeria

Irvingia spp. fruit waste, particularly its pulp, is recognized for its high nutritional value and potential as a raw material for products like juice, jam, wine, jelly, and marmalades. Despite this, it is often discarded after the kernel is extracted. This research aimed to determine the average annual production of Irvingia spp. fruit pulp waste and the percentage of locals consuming the fresh pulp, using three communities in Yenagoa Local Government Area of Bayelsa State as a sample. The findings revealed the average annual production of Irvingia spp. fruit waste to be 7,697.01 tons in Agudama-Ekpetiama, 18,900.12 tons in Koro-ama, and 1,681.62 tons in Yenegwe. The percentage of consumers of fresh pulp was 69.6% in AgudamaEkpetiama, 72.8% in Koro-ama, and 68.1% in Yenegwe. It was noted that both the amount of waste produced and the percentage of consumers were influenced by the total population and the number of harvesters in each community. The research highlights the significant quantity of Irvingia spp. fruit waste produced in these communities, confirming the availability of this potential raw material for any local manufacturing companies interested in utilizing the fruit pulp. Additionally, it provides insights into the marketability of Irvingia spp. pulp products, indicating a promising opportunity for value-added uses of what is currently considered waste.