Market Structure and Performance of Fresh Fish Marketing in Selected Local Government Areas of Niger State, Nigeria

Abstract

The study was carried out to analyze market structure and performance of fresh fish marketing in Niger State. The study employed a multi-stage sampling techniques where 120 marketers were selected in the study area. The results showed that 62% of the respondents preferred artisanal fish to the cultured fish while the Gini-coefficient was estimated to be 0.87 which is an indication of high level of concentration and consequently high inefficiency. The marketing margin analysis revealed that a total marketing margin of 39%. It was further observed that the financing of fish marketing requires access to affordable credit facility to be able to acquire some infrastructural facilities. Also, high cost of transportation is a major constraint that contributed to the large percentage of fish price. It was therefore recommended that government should make credit facilities available at an affordable rate to the fresh fish marketers in the study area while the cooperative group device a means of providing transport facilities like cars and other means of transportation to their members thereby generating revenue for the cooperative.