Economic Analysis on Factors Affecting Quantity Supply of Honey the Case of Damot Gale Woreda, Wolaita Zone, Southern Ethiopia

Abstract

Economic analysis on honey production and demand is important to encourage beekeepers to enhance their income, adopt the technology. However, analysis of profitability and productivity of box and modern hives is not adequately available in the study area. Data for the study was collected from 120 rural beekeeping households from four kebeles. Both primary and secondary source were employed to obtain necessary information. Multi-stage sampling technique was used to meet with respondents/study units/households in the selected kebeles. Descriptive and econometric analysis was used to identify the effect of independent variables on dependent variable. With descriptive analysis percentages, graphs, charts and tables were presented. The socio-economic characteristics of the beekeeping households, market chain, performance,  the result shows that out of 120 households 105 (87.5%) were male and 15 (12.5 %) were female households who were producing honey, average family size of the beekeeping farmers in the study area during survey period was 5.5 persons, with maximum and minimum family size of 12 and 2 persons, respectively and the result shows when family size increases quantity supply of honey to the market decreases duet increase in household consumption. Quantity supply of honey computed to different explanatory variables by employing the econometric analysis i.e. multiple linear regression analysis and the regression result revealed out of 13 explanatory variables, 10 of the variables:- household age, household family size, education, price, distance from market, year of experience, credit access,  land size, modern hives and annual income  have a significant effect on quantity supply of honey at 1 percent, 5 percent and 10 percent.

Keywords: Honey Supply, Market price, Damot Gale, Multiple regression,Wolaita Zone