Survey of African star apple (<i>Chrysophyllum albidum</i>) fruits marketing in Sokotoo Metropolis, Sokoto State, Nigeria

Abstract

The study examined the marketing of African Star Apple (Chrysophyllum albidum) fruits in Sokoto Metropolis, Sokoto state with a view to identify the socio-economic characteristics of the marketers, the marketing channels of C. albidum fruits as well as ascertain the profitability of C. albidum fruits marketing in the study area. The targeted population of the study was Chrysophyllum albidum fruits marketers. Snow balling technique was used to select one hundred (100) marketers of C. albidum fruits which is the sample size for the study. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, channels, profit, and gross margin. The result revealed that C. albidum fruits marketing in the study area was 100% dominated by male, 49% were within the age range of 21-30 years, 70% were married, 77% had Qur’anic education, 35% had family size that was between 6-10 persons, 53% had farming as their primary occupation and 77.0% had C. albidum fruits business as their secondary occupation. 78.0% of the marketers obtained their C. albidum fruits from the wholesalers, 36.0% of the marketers obtain a daily income that was between ₦1,001 to ₦2,000, the respondents had average total revenue of ₦674,156.25, average cost on transportation was ₦36,605.25 per season, and the marketers also had an average profit of ₦79,598.25 and gross margin of 11.81% per season. It is therefore concluded that Chrysophyllum albidum fruit marketing business is a profitable venture in the area. For the successful and continuous supply of Chrysophyllum albidum fruits on a sustained basis, there is a need for afforestation and plantation of Chrysophyllum albidum tree species in the study areas as a community development forest plantation programme.