Socio-economic Contributions and Marketing of Garcinia kola (bitter kola) in Ijebu- Ode Ogun State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study examined the socio-economic contribution and marketing of Garcinia kola to rural human livelihoods in Ijebu-ode, Ogun State. The respondents were randomly selected in the study area. Data were collected with the aid of semi-structured and pre-tested questionnaire administered interpersonally to 100 respondents. Descriptive statistics tools was used to analyse the socio-economic variables while Gini coefficient and cost and return analysis were used to analyze the market structure and profitability respectively. New market had highest gross profit of ₦8,500 while Oke-aje market has the lowest gross profit of ₦3,293.75. Majority (90%) of the respondents revealed that trading in bitter kola is profitable. Poor marketing channels, price fluctuations and seasonality of the bitter kola were some of the challenges bitter kola marketers faced in the study area. Based on this finding, it was recommended that bitter kola marketers should endeavor to form a co-operative to assist one another with loans. Also, banking industry in Ogun state, Nigeria should consider giving out loans to traders to enable them go on mass trading of the product since price fluctuation was the most severe constraint to bitter kola marketing in the study area.

Keywords: Profitable, Marketing, Market structure, Bitter cola