IMPACT OF POSTHARVEST LOSSES ON MARKET FORCES AMONG SMALLHOLDER CASSAVA FARMERS: EVIDENCE FROM SOUTHEASTERN NIGERIA

Abstract

The major objective of this study was to examine the impact of postharvest losses on market forces among smallholder cassava farmers: Evidence from southeastern Nigeria. Survey research design was adopted. The population of the study was smallholder cassava farmers in Southeast, Nigeria. The source of data was primary data. Total of 385 copies of questionnaires were distributed using a convenience sampling technique, out of which 288 valid responses were retrieved and used for analysis. Data collected were analyzed using simple linear regression analysis through Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 27. The results showed that poor and inadequate storage facilities on food commodity demand; poor transportation networks on food commodity demand; poor postharvest handling mechanism on food commodity demand; poor and inadequate storage facilities on food commodity supply; poor transportation networks on food commodity supply and poor postharvest handling mechanism on food commodity supply were positively significant. The researchers ultimately concluded that serious efforts need to be made to establish adequate infrastructure to reduce food price increases among consumers and reduce post-harvest losses. Based on the findings, recommendations were made such as the issue of poor and inadequate storage facilities should be addressed appropriately, the issue of poor transportation networks should be addressed, and the issue of poor post-harvest processing mechanisms should be appropriately addressed, as it was found that adequate infrastructure if provided for smallholder cassava farmers would help reduce postharvest losses to the barest minimum and in turn reduce food prices among consumers.