PROBLEMS OF CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETIES IN THE MARKETING OF AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS

Code No: 379745

₦5,000.00

ABSTRACT

This study is carried out to find the problems of cooperative in the marketing of agricultural food products in Enugu zone of Enugu State.
The study became necessary because of the recent increases in the price of food crop in the country. Because of time lapses, a survey sample was used to study the entire population covering Oji-River, Udi, Enugu North, Enugu South, Awgu and Ezeagu local government areas of the state.
Direct sampling methods was used in administering the questionnaire. The data collected was analyzed using percentages and pie chart.
The results in this study have shown that although price of food crops marketed by the co-operatives is moderate, its not stable.
Inadequate storage facilities have a significant effect on the efficient marketing of food crops by the co-operatives. That there is correspondence between the demand for food crops marketed by co-operative and the consumers educational level attained from the findings, the researcher made the following recommendations:
That the state government should give financial aid to these co-operators for a better and efficient running of their affairs by the management. That since price is one of the marketing variables within the control of management, the management of these co-operative should put forth efforts aimed at maintaining fair and stable prices of food crops bearing in mind that the co-operative organization is for service and not entirely profit oriented.
That effort should be geared on the improvement of storage facilities. Also that the state government should help to educate farmer through their co-operatives as a means of improving production and marketing of agricultural products.
Finally, the effort of transportation on the co-operative societies are so severe that they encounter a heavier barrier or difficulty while marketing their food crops and therefore call for an improvement in the existing means of transportation or to create one where non exist.

CHAPTER 1

CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
The co-operative society was principally aimed at organizing non-profit making institutions that would protect its members from exploitation by capitalist shop owners who sold goods at exorbitant prices.
The origin of co-operative societies dates back to 1844 in Rochadale, a town in Britain. Twenty eight artisans, called the â€œRochdale Pioneers contributed a few pence per week, with this amount, they started a retail shop. Members bought cheaply from their shop and profits were distributed to members in pro-portion to the amount of business done through the co-operative.
A much greater measure of success has been attended on the development of consumerâ€™s co-operative societies though not without some difficulties, which eventually stopped many from existing.
BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Almost every community is Nigeria with reference to the local
governments in Enugu zone chosen practices one form of co-operative society and this enhances the rapid development, the society nationwide. With this regard, we were made to know that agricultural products that were produced in different parts of the country should be distributed equitably or almost. In the
course of the distribution, people do come together and pull their meager resources together for an efficient distribution of these goods.
Efficient distribution determine the quantities and prices of this products that come into the market.
Contrarily, if poorly distributed, the producers will find it difficult to market their products individually. In attempt to maintain stable prices of farm products and minimize the excesses of middlemen, many producers have decided to form food crops co-operative society in their zones and extended it to almost all the communities in the local government entirely. The objectives of forming the co-operative society includes:
To market the food crops of member to their best advantage
Raising of funds for which loans can be granted to members for products purposes.
Obtaining supply of raw materials such as fertilizer
provision of other essential services to the members such as procuring the necessary of most needed goods at wholesale prices.
Obtaining of good essential services for their members like, loans at a reasonable interest from lending houses.
However, in doing these duties, which are marketing of food
crop for the members interest, raising of internal funds to give to the members as loan, obtaining loan from lending and discount houses or financial institutions, obtaining raw materials and doing other services to their member, the co-operators ran into some difficulties and other or problems. It is this problem that the researcher is out to find as well as recommending for their total elimination.