**4. Marketing**

The importance of yam in the economy of some producing areas appears to be declining due partly to competition from other crops like cassava in Nigeria and taro in the South Pacific. However, in Ghana, the contribution of yam to the economy by way of meeting household food needs and foreign exchange earnings through exports has been growing [11].

Harvested yams in most communities are mostly for household consumption with only 16.4% of farmers selling more than half of their harvested yam [26]. Yam tubers meant for sale are mostly sold to merchants in local markets and also directly to ordinary people and food vendors in towns. These merchants come from other regions and move from village to village to purchase tubers directly from farmers. In the Nanumba traditional area of the northern region of Ghana, merchants come from Accra and Kumasi in Southern Ghana to buy yam [65]. This practice conforms with what happens in the Niger State of Nigeria where merchants come from Ibadan and Ilorin in southern Nigeria to buy yam [26].

In Ghana, yam is generally traded in its original state and is not processed into a secondary product. Traders and chop bar owners (small restaurants) often buy yam to sell or prepare it for consumers directly. Yam for the export market is also not processed, but is treated, wrapped in paper, and packed in 20-kg boxes before it is shipped [37].

About a decade ago, the UK was the leading importer (49%) of Ghana yam export, followed by the Netherlands and the USA [6]. Since then, the trend has changed dramatically with the USA now leading the chat. In 2017, Ghana exported a total value of USD 38,393.00 worth of yam to 10 top importing countries of which the USA took 35%, followed by the UK and Belgium of 34% and 9%, respectively [66] (**Figure 9**). The large volumes of yam exported to these destinations are largely due to the high demand for yam by Ghanaians and other West Africans residing in these countries.

**Figure 9.**

*Share of Ghana yam export by importing countries.*
