THE PROBLEMS OF MARKETING POULTRY PRODUCTS

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Poultry refers to all domesticated birds kept for meat and eggs production. Eggs and poultry meat are produced primarily for food consumption. Eggs are also used in various food industries like the manufacturing of confectionary (i.e. sweet chocolate cakes etc.). They are also used for the manufacturing of cosmetics of infection diseases while the feathers may be used for making pillows and mattresses. Some species of poultry are suitable for genetic nutritional and physiological studies because of their relatively low cost of maintenance, proliferation (a rapid growth or increase in numbers) and short generation intervals. In the earlier time, the keeping of poultry were not being considered as a major occupation; that is birds were kept to obtain some money and in most cases for pleasure and pastime cock figliting. In some areas or communities, fowls are still used in the past as a means of knowing what times of day, most especially the cock (i.e. male fowl). Poultry farming started those days when our local farmers used the old and extensive method in keeping fowls, goats, sheep, pig and other related domestic animals proved that the poultry section was a profitable venture too. Gradually, poultry keeping developed into a commercial enterprise involving thousands of birds, large poultry units, replace small ones while more efficient strains of birds, balanced feeds, intensive housing and better poultry equipment come into use. All these industrialized system of keeping poultry birds in a recent development in Edo state as in most humid tropical countries. The effect of some environmental factors like the industries are less capitalized, consists of smaller units and depend more on manual labour. These lead to less production of the birds or the birds perform at a lower level. Due to this account, the cost of poultry production is higher. All these factors contribute to the lower consumption of poultry production in the tropical areas like Edo state. For example, the recent estimate of eggs consumption in Nigeria was far low when compared with the European countries and the United States. Moreover, the industries in the tropical areas are not as diversified as in the temperate. In the tropics, the emphasis is on egg production and only one species of poultry (the domestic fowl) is used. Whereas economic and nutritional benefits can be derived from keeping other species, for example some strains of ducks are fast growing, resistance to many diseases of the domestic fowl and can produce as many as 300 eggs per annum. These can be used to increase the consumption of poultry products in the tropics. However, throughout the world, the domestic birds are unique for its popularity in producing both poultry meat and eggs while the other species are kept primarily for meat. In order for poultry birds to produce efficiently, there is need to raise them under a conducive environment. We have various ways of rearing birds like the industrialized system of rearing birds.

STATEMENT OF PROBLEMS

Poultry, which is of economic importance to the entire members of the society because it provides meat and eggs for consumption. The bones are being used as bone meals to farm animals. It is therefore important that these products get to the final consumer at the place and time they are needed. This is only possible when the marketing system is efficient. This study is therefore concerned with the appraisal of the problems of marketing poultry products in Oredo Local Government Area.

OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

The study is designed to achieve the following objectives:

1.    To identify the type of poultry products sold in Oredo Local Government area.

2.    To identify the problems affecting the marketing of poultry products.

3.    To find out how best the problems of marketing poultry products can be solved.

4.    To make recommendations based on  finding of the study.

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF STUDY

The need for appraisal of this type is to know the problems facing the marketing of poultry products in Oredo Local Government area in Edo state. it is assumed that at the end farmers and the consumers within the territory in which the appraisal was carried out will benefit from the findings of the study. During the appraisal, some farmers were questioned and they responded actively and also ask various question s, which help them to rear their livestock very well. Therefore, this study will help the farmer within Oredo local government area to known the various system of rearing birds in other to keep them away from infection diseases. It will also help them to known the best the best marketing channel to sell their products. Also this study will help the consumers in that same area to known the most hygienic place to purchase their meat and other domestic products from.

HYPOTHESIS/RESEARCH QUESTION

To assist in carrying out appraisal into the problems of marketing poultry products in Oredo Local Government area, some research questions will be useful and these include:

i)             How does extension system of rearing poultry affects its product?

ii)            What is the importance of transportation in the marketing of poultry products?

iii)          Which part of poultry products do you sell most daily?

iv)          Why are poultry products difficult in market?

v)           What way so you think will help in the marketing of poultry products?

SCOPE OF STUDY

In this scope, poultry products in Oredo local government area will be carefully examined. This study will pay particular attention to factors affecting the marketing of poultry products in Oredo. It will also appraise some selected types of poultry products and causes of their low marketing and make recommendation that will enhance more distribution in Oredo local government area.

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