**Abstract**

Cucumber is an important vegetable due to its numerous health benefits. There are a number of empirical studies on the economics of production of the commodity, but there is insufficient information on marketing of the commodity. The study was therefore carried out to examine market performance, structure and constraints in cucumber marketing. Primary data was collected from 70 randomly selected actors in the supply chain (54 Retailers and 16 wholesalers). Data collected was analyzed using descriptive statistics, net marketing margin, efficiency and Gini coefficient. Findings revealed that most of the retailers (70.4%) and wholesalers (81.3%) were male. Most of the retailers were within 31–40 years whereas majority of the wholesalers were within 41–50 years and all the marketers had secondary level of education (47.2%). Cucumber marketing was profitable at the wholesale and retail level both at the peak and lean season of cucumber production. Retailers sell an average of 159.8 kg and 83.8 kg weekly in the peak and lean season. Whereas wholesalers sell an average of 1,000 kg and 870 kg weekly in the peak and lean season respectively. Net margin at retail level was higher in the lean season (68.8/kg) compared to the peak season (46.6/kg). Similarly, at wholesale level, net marketing margin at the lean season was 17.5/kg and was higher than 6.3/kg obtained during the peak season. Marketing efficiency was greater than one for the wholesalers and retailers in both seasons. Gini coefficient of retailer was 0.32 and 0.36 for the peak and lean season indicating that the market was competitive. There was inequality in the wholesale market as indicated by the gini coefficient result. The most important constraint to cucumber marketing was perishability of the produce and price fluctuation. The study recommends improved sensitization on adequate post-harvest handling practices and storage to reduce the levels and consequences of the perishable nature of the commodity.

**Keywords:** Cucumber, market performance, market structure, constraints

#### **1. Introduction**

Cucumber is one of the most important exotic vegetables in Nigeria [1] and are valuable source of antioxidant nutrients including vitamin C, beta carotene and Manganese with about 95% water [2]. The crop is important in prevention of human constipation and improvement in digestion [3]. Aside the nutritional benefit of cucumber, production of the commodity is also profitable [2]. Marketing is crucial to link production and consumption and facilitate increased agricultural productivity and employment [4]. Thus, efficient marketing system is germane to improve market organization in order to satisfy consumers' needs and wants [4]. Market

performance is the ultimate result derived from the market which include outcome from various market activities [5]. Furthermore, profitability is a key elements of financial performance [6]. Market structure is the characteristics of the organization of the market that influence the nature of competition and pricing within the market [7]. Market structure for agricultural products in Nigeria is not perfectly competitive due to collusive tendencies of sellers [8]. It is worthy of note that analysis of market structure, efficiency of an agricultural product determines whether the market is a perfectly competitive, oligopolistic or monopolistic market [9].

Most socioeconomic research on cucumber in Nigeria have focused on economics of production [1, 2]. This includes analysis of profitability and major constraints of cucumber production in two local government areas of Rivers state [2]. They found that cucumber production was profitable and the major constraints in cucumber production in the study area were pest and disease attacks, poor funding and unfavorable climatic conditions. Profitability and efficiency of cucumber production in Iseyin Local Government area of Oyo State was also evaluated [1]. They found that cucumber production was profitable in the study area and they found that Age, Education status of farmers and access to credit were the factors affecting technical efficiency of the farmers in cucumber production in the study area. Factors affecting cucumber farmers' market participation were examined in Odukpani Local Government Area of Cross River State, Nigeria [10]. They found that distance to the market, market information and quantity of cucumber harvested were significant and important factors affecting the ability of the smallholder farmers to participate in the output market.

Past empirical studies on Market structure and performance of vegetables were on watermelon. Watermelon marketing was analyzed in Oyo State, Nigeria and the study revealed that watermelon marketing is profitable and efficient [11]. They also found that there was price discrimination and product differentiation in the market based on size and quality of the product. Structure and performance of pumpkin marketing was analyzed in Nassarawa State [4] and the study revealed that pumpkin marketing was profitable and the market was noncompetitive. Thus, there is dearth of information on market structure and performance of cucumber in Oyo state, Nigeria. The study intends to fill the above information gap.
