ABSTRACT
In Nigeria, plantain is a seasonal crop, but the demand is all year round. The produce is often handled by many different actors, transported and stored repeatedly between harvest and consumption, hence postharvest loss exists across the value chain, most especially at the marketing stage. This study, therefore, assessed the postharvest information needs and search behaviour of plantain marketers in Edo and Ondo States, Nigeria. Specifically, it described the socio-economic characteristics of plantain marketers, estimated the volume of plantain marketed and postharvest losses, assessed the postharvest practices used, identified postharvest information sources available and accessible, the information needs and search behavior as well as constraints to accessing plantain postharvest information by marketers in the study area. A simple random sampling procedure was used to select 481 plantain marketers from the two States. A structured questionnaire was used to elicit quantitative data while Focused Group Discussion (FGD) guide was used to collect qualitative data. Data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics such as frequency count, percentages and mean while Binary Logistic Regression model and t-test were used to test the hypotheses stated for the study. Results of the descriptive statistic showed that the quantity of plantain purchased during the off and on marketing seasons in Edo State were approximately (retailers= 723.6Kilogram, wholesalers= 51712.2Kilogram) and (retailers= 685.2 Kg, wholesalers= 9129.4 Kg) in Ondo State. On average, marketers in Edo State, lost approximately (retailers= 220kilogram, wholesalers= 453.3 kilogram) of plantain in both seasons across the different stages of postharvest activities. Meanwhile, Ondo State, recorded (retailers= 331.8kilogram, wholesalers= 501.3 kilogram) of losses in plantain. Consequently, data showed high information needs in selected areas like the use of foam padding along the buttom and appropriate side walls of the truck during transportation of plantain in Edo and Ondo States for retailers and wholesalers respectively ( = 3.46 and =3.11) and ( = 3.92 and ( = 3.80), standardized grading and sorting ( = 2.76 and = 2.77) and ( = 3.68 and = 3.63), Safe loading to avoid bruising and impact ( = 3.02 and = 3.06) and ( = 3.27 and = 2.64), dehanding the bunches and transport in a reusable stackable cage ( = 2.80 and = 2.75) and ( = 3.06 and = 2.93). This resulted to high information search in similar areas including information on the use of fungi treatment to slow down ripening ( = 2.73 and = 3.55) and ( = 3.27 and = 3.36) and training on postharvest handling ( = 2.87 and = 2.90) and ( = 3.37 and = 3.08). Among other constraints retailers and wholesalers in both States respectively indicated poor knowledge of plantain postharvest handling practices ( = 3.21 and = 3.89) and ( = 4.18 and = 3.18), poor extension visit ( = 3.63 and = 3.56) and ( = 3.83 and = 3.62) absence of nearby information centres ( = 3.68 and = 3.69) and ( = 3.05 and = 3.62) as serious constraints to plantain postharvest harvest information. Based on the result of the inferential statistics, age, household size, education, and source of labour 15 were significant to information need of plantain wholesalers at 5% level while marketing experience and volume of sales in Kg were equally significant at 1%. Similarly, among the retailers, volume of sales in Kg was significant at 1% level. However, a statistically significant difference t = 3.321; p = 0.001 exists in the information needs between the two states. It was concluded that plantain marketers in Edo and Ondo States experiences huge losses in plantain marketing resulting to high information need and search behaviour in several areas of postharvest handling. The study recommends the training of plantain marketers on postharvest practices to reduce losses.
