ANALYSIS OF THE MARKETING EFFICIENCY OF EXOTIC FRUITS IN MAIDUGURI METROPOLIS, BORNO STATE, NIGERIA

ABSTRACT The study analyzed the marketing efficiency of exotic fruits in Maiduguri Metropolis, Borno State, Nigeria. Specific objectives were to: describe the socio-economic characteristics of exotic fruit marketers, identify the marketing channels, evaluate the profitability, and analyze the marketing efficiency and constraints faced by the marketers. Data were collected from 80 respondents (40 wholesalers and 40 retailers) selected using a multi-stage sampling procedure. Primary data were collected through the use of a structured questionnaire. Data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics, marketing margin analysis, and the gross margin model. Results showed that the majority of marketers were male (70.0%), married (55.0%), and within the active age group of 31-40 years (37.5%). Most marketers had secondary education (50.0%) and belonged to a household size of 6-10 persons (40.0%). The dominant marketing channel was the Marketer-to-Consumer channel. The highest gross marketing margin was found in the marketing of Apples (\text{98,208}) by wholesalers, while the highest Return on Investment (ROI) was found in Grapes marketing (\text{2.7}) by retailers. The marketing efficiency for Apples, Pineapples, and Grapes was found to be 81.7\%, 84.7\%, and 86.4\%, respectively. Major constraints faced by the marketers were high transportation costs, followed by high competition and the high price of exotic fruits. The study recommends that the government should address the issue of poor infrastructure and provide modern storage facilities to minimize post-harvest losses and improve overall marketing efficiency.