ECONOMICS OF CATTLE MARKETING IN MAI’ADUA INTERNATIONAL BORDER MARKET OF KATSINA STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

The study examined the economics of cattle marketing in Mai’adua International Border Market of Katsina State, Nigeria. Data were collected from sixty (60) randomly selected cattle marketers with the aid of structured questionnaire and analyzed using descriptive statistics, farm budgeting technique and marketing margin. The results revealed that fifty percent (50%) of the marketers fell between 31-40 years. About 87% of the marketers were married while the remaining 13% were single. Similarly, 30% of the marketers purchased fifteen heads of cattle weekly and sold between 9-12 heads which also constituted 30%. The net income per average head of Cow and Bull were N2, 120 and N4, 820 respectively. Returns per naira were N1.07 and N1.11 for Cow and Bull respectively. The gross, operating and fixed ratios were 0.93, 0.82, 0.11 and 0.89, 0.82, 0.07 for Cow and Bull respectively. The marketing margin of Cow and Bull were 24.76% and 22.22% respectively. Marketing of Cows and Bulls was profitable in the study area. The viability of the enterprise can be increased if the major constraints such as high transportation cost, inadequate credit facilities, high charges of Niger export duty, lack of cooperative societies and price fluctuation during rainy season are tackled by both market participants and government.