**4. Market performance of cucumber**

Although there are peak and lean season of marketing the commodity. Cucumber marketing is throughout the year. Market performance of cucumber was evaluated using net marketing margin and efficiency. Average quantity sold by retailers weekly in the peak and lean season were 159.8 kg and 83.8 kg respectively. This indicates that more quantity were sold in the peak season compared to the lean

**55**

*Market Performance and Structure of Cucumber in Ibadan, Oyo State*

**Variable Retail level**

**Average quantity sold (kg) weekly 159.8 83.8** Average cost price/kg N64.3 162.5 Average marketing cost/kg 18.68 18.68 Total cost 82.98 181.18 Average selling price/kg 129.6 250 Net margin/Kg 46.6 68.82 Marketing Efficiency 1.6 1.4

**Average quantity sold (kg) weekly 1,000 870** Average cost price N/kg 43 130 Average marketing cost/kg 15 15 Total cost 58 145 Average selling price/kg 64.3 162.5 Net margin/Kg 6.3 17.5 Marketing Efficiency 1.1 1.1

**Peak period Cost/kg Lean period Cost/Kg**

**Wholesale level**

season of production of the commodity. Average cost price per kg of cucumber in the peak season was N64.3 against N150/kg that was obtained in the lean season. The total cost incurred per kilogram was N82.98 while the total revenue was N129.6 in the peak season. The marketing margin and efficiency obtained during the peak season were N46.6/kg with the marketing efficiency of 1.6. This indicated that

Similarly in the lean season of cucumber production, average cost incurred in the retail marketing was N181.18/kg with the total revenue of N250/kg. The marketing margin obtained in the lean season was N68.82/kg with the marketing efficiency of 1.4 indicating profitability of marketing cucumber in the study area. Although marketing efficiency was higher in the peak season compared to the lean, may be

For the wholesalers, average quantity of cucumber sold during the peak season of cucumber production was 1,000 kg while average of 870 kg was sold during the lean season. Average cost incurred during marketing of cucumber per kilogram was N58 in peak season against N148 that was obtained in the lean season. Marketing margin and efficiency of cucumber in the peak season were N6.3k per kg and 1.1 indicating that cucumber marketing at wholesale was profitable. Marketing margin and efficiency during lean period was N17.5/kg while the marketing efficiency was

Cucumber market structure was estimated using Gini coefficient. Results revealed that marketers within the sale ranges of N5001- N25, 000 constituted

attributable to the lower marketing cost in the peak season (**Table 2**).

*DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.96187*

cucumber marketing is profitable (**Table 2**).

*Marketing margin and efficiency of cucumber.*

*1 \$ = 395.22 Nigerian naira. Source: Field Survey, 2020.*

**Table 2.**

1.1 indicating efficient marketing system (**Table 2**).

**4.1 Market structure of cucumber (retail)**


*Market Performance and Structure of Cucumber in Ibadan, Oyo State DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.96187*

**Table 2.**

*Cucumber Economic Values and Its Cultivation and Breeding*

Tertiary

11–15 16–20

vegetables

Civil Servants

Cooperatives Bank loans

**Main occupation** Marketing of

**Major Source of capital**

**Members of Association**

**Receive Agricultural Extension visit**

**Table 1.**

*Source: Field Survey, 2020.*

**Characteristics Retailers Wholesalers Average %**

**Years of Experience** 1–5 12.96 18.75 15.86

**Household Size** 1–5 87.0 75 81.0

Secondary 44.4 50 47.2

6–10 44.44 6.25 25.35 11–15 16.67 31.25 23.96 16–20 11.11 25.0 18.06 21–25 11.11 12.50 11.81 Above 26 3.7 6.25 4.98

6–10 13.0 25 19.0

Farming 1.9 1.9

Personal savings 94.4 100 97.2 Friends and relatives 5.6 2.8

> Yes 22.2 75 48.6 No 77.8 25 51.4

> No 88.89 56.25 72.57

Yes 1.9 6.3 4.1 No 98.1 93.8 95.9

98.1 100 99.1

**54**

**4. Market performance of cucumber**

*Socioeconomic characteristics of the marketers.*

Although there are peak and lean season of marketing the commodity. Cucumber marketing is throughout the year. Market performance of cucumber was evaluated using net marketing margin and efficiency. Average quantity sold by retailers weekly in the peak and lean season were 159.8 kg and 83.8 kg respectively. This indicates that more quantity were sold in the peak season compared to the lean

**Vegetable training** Yes 11.11 43.75 27.43

*Marketing margin and efficiency of cucumber.*

season of production of the commodity. Average cost price per kg of cucumber in the peak season was N64.3 against N150/kg that was obtained in the lean season. The total cost incurred per kilogram was N82.98 while the total revenue was N129.6 in the peak season. The marketing margin and efficiency obtained during the peak season were N46.6/kg with the marketing efficiency of 1.6. This indicated that cucumber marketing is profitable (**Table 2**).

Similarly in the lean season of cucumber production, average cost incurred in the retail marketing was N181.18/kg with the total revenue of N250/kg. The marketing margin obtained in the lean season was N68.82/kg with the marketing efficiency of 1.4 indicating profitability of marketing cucumber in the study area. Although marketing efficiency was higher in the peak season compared to the lean, may be attributable to the lower marketing cost in the peak season (**Table 2**).

For the wholesalers, average quantity of cucumber sold during the peak season of cucumber production was 1,000 kg while average of 870 kg was sold during the lean season. Average cost incurred during marketing of cucumber per kilogram was N58 in peak season against N148 that was obtained in the lean season. Marketing margin and efficiency of cucumber in the peak season were N6.3k per kg and 1.1 indicating that cucumber marketing at wholesale was profitable. Marketing margin and efficiency during lean period was N17.5/kg while the marketing efficiency was 1.1 indicating efficient marketing system (**Table 2**).

#### **4.1 Market structure of cucumber (retail)**

Cucumber market structure was estimated using Gini coefficient. Results revealed that marketers within the sale ranges of N5001- N25, 000 constituted


**Table 3.**

*Gini coefficient of retail cucumber marketing.*

63% of retailers and this accounted for 49.5% of total sales of cucumber during the peak season (**Table 3**). Similar trend was obtained in the lean season, marketers within the sale range of 5,001–25,000 also constituted 64.8% of retailers and this accounted for 53.2% of cucumber total sales in the lean season. Gini coefficients for the peak and lean season were 0.32 and 0.36 respectively. This indicated that cucumber marketing at retail level in the peak and lean season was competitive. This indicated that there are many retailers in the market and they will not be able to influence price by increasing or decreasing quantity supplied to the market. This also indicate adequate equality in the market.

#### **4.2 Market structure of cucumber (wholesale)**

Findings revealed that wholesale within the sales range of 25,001–45,000 and 45,001–65,000 constituted the greatest percentage of the wholesaler and this accounted for 13.8 and 25% of total sales. Gini coefficient for the wholesaler during the peak and lean season were 0.5 and 0.57 respectively. This implied inequality in quantity of cucumber sold among the wholesaler and sales is concentrated in the hand of few marketers and cucumber marketing at wholesale level was noncompetitive in the study area. Similarly, high inefficiency was also observed in the market structure of watermelon at Akure [14], where it was found that the Gini coefficient of watermelon was 0.7318 indicating inequality in the market (**Table 4**).

#### **4.3 Constraints in cucumber marketing**

The most important constraint to cucumber marketing was perishability of the commodity. Vegetables are highly perishable and sensitive to harvest and post-harvest handling systems. It was observed during the survey that most of the marketers use bags in packaging of the crop with attendant physical damages and

**57**

**Table 5.**

*Market Performance and Structure of Cucumber in Ibadan, Oyo State*

**wholesaler** ∑**X**

**Cumulative % of wholesaler**

**LEAN SEASON**

25,001 – 45,000 5 31.3 31.3 141,460 13.8 13.8 0.043 45,001 – 65,000 5 31.3 62.6 257,200 25.0 38.8 0.12 65,001 – 85,000 1 6.3 68.9 77,160 7.5 46.3 0.03 85,001 – 105,000 3 18.8 87.7 308,640 30.0 76.3 0.14 105,001-125,000 1 6.3 94.0 115,740 11.3 87.6 0.06 125,001-145,000 1 6.3 100 128,600 12.5 100 0.1 Total 1,028,800 0.5

25,001 – 45,000 2 12.5 12.5 71,500 3.2 3.2 0.004 45,001 – 65,000 4 25 37.5 240,500 10.6 13.8 0.0345 65,001 – 85,000 0 0 37.5 0 0 13.8 0 85,001 – 105,000 2 12.5 50 195,000 8.6 22.4 0.028 105,001-125,000 0 0 50 0 0 22.4 0 125,001-145,000 0 0 50 0 0 22.4 0 145,001-165,000 0 0 50 0 0 22.4 0 165,001-185,000 0 0 50 0 0 22.4 0 185,001-205,000 4 25 75 780,000 34.5 56.9 0.14225 205,001-225,000 0 0 75 0 0 56.9 0 225,001-245,000 2 12.5 87.5 455,000 20.1 77.0 0.096 245,001-265,000 2 12.5 100 520,000 23.0 100 0.125 Total 2,262,000 0.43

**Total value of sales**

**% of total sales**

**Cumulative Y**

**Yes No**

∑**XY**

**Sales N Peak season Frequency % of** 

*DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.96187*

Gini Coefficient 0.5

265,001-285,000 GINNI

*Source: Field survey, 2020.*

*Constraints in cucumber marketing.*

**Table 4.**

COEFFICIENT

*Gini coefficient of wholesale cucumber marketing.*

**0.57**

Perishability 69(98.6) 1(1.4) High cost of transportation 64(91.4) 6(8.6) Price fluctuation 67(95.7) 3(4.3) Inadequate capital 67(95.7) 3(4.3) Storage Problem 67(95.7) 3(4.3) Poor marketing information 49(70.0) 21(30.0)


*Market Performance and Structure of Cucumber in Ibadan, Oyo State DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.96187*

#### **Table 4.**

*Cucumber Economic Values and Its Cultivation and Breeding*

**Frequency % of** 

<5,000 0

**Gini Coefficient 0.32**

**Gini Coefficient 0.36** *Source: Field Survey, 2020.*

*Gini coefficient of retail cucumber marketing.*

**Table 3.**

**Sales N Peak season**

**retailer** ∑**X**

**Cumulative % of retailer**

5,001 – 25,000 34 63 63 533,952 49.5 49.5 0.31 25,001 – 45,000 20 37 100 544,320 50.5 100 0.37 Total **0.68**

<5,000 2 3.7 3.7 9,100 0.91 0.91 0.0 5,001 – 25,000 35 64.8 68.5 527,800 53.2 54.11 0.35 25,001 – 45,000 15 27.8 96.3 364,000 36.7 90.81 0.25 45,001 – 65,000 2 3.7 100 91,000 9.2 100 0.037 Total 54 100 991,900 **0.64**

**Total value of sales**

**Lean season**

**% of total sales**

**Cumulative Y**

∑**XY**

also indicate adequate equality in the market.

**4.3 Constraints in cucumber marketing**

**4.2 Market structure of cucumber (wholesale)**

63% of retailers and this accounted for 49.5% of total sales of cucumber during the peak season (**Table 3**). Similar trend was obtained in the lean season, marketers within the sale range of 5,001–25,000 also constituted 64.8% of retailers and this accounted for 53.2% of cucumber total sales in the lean season. Gini coefficients for the peak and lean season were 0.32 and 0.36 respectively. This indicated that cucumber marketing at retail level in the peak and lean season was competitive. This indicated that there are many retailers in the market and they will not be able to influence price by increasing or decreasing quantity supplied to the market. This

Findings revealed that wholesale within the sales range of 25,001–45,000 and 45,001–65,000 constituted the greatest percentage of the wholesaler and this accounted for 13.8 and 25% of total sales. Gini coefficient for the wholesaler during the peak and lean season were 0.5 and 0.57 respectively. This implied inequality in quantity of cucumber sold among the wholesaler and sales is concentrated in the hand of few marketers and cucumber marketing at wholesale level was noncompetitive in the study area. Similarly, high inefficiency was also observed in the market structure of watermelon at Akure [14], where it was found that the Gini coefficient

of watermelon was 0.7318 indicating inequality in the market (**Table 4**).

The most important constraint to cucumber marketing was perishability of the commodity. Vegetables are highly perishable and sensitive to harvest and post-harvest handling systems. It was observed during the survey that most of the marketers use bags in packaging of the crop with attendant physical damages and

**56**

*Gini coefficient of wholesale cucumber marketing.*


#### **Table 5.**

*Constraints in cucumber marketing.*

losses. Similarly, high perishability is one of the constraints in cucumber production in Southeast Nigeria [15]. Price fluctuation is rampant and is always due to fluctuation in the supply of the commodity. Other constraints were inadequate capital and storage problem, high cost of transportation and poor marketing information (**Table 5**).
