FACTORS INFLUENCING MARKETING OF TOMATOES IN JALINGO LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF TARABA STATE, A CASE STUDY OF CBN REDESIGN OF NAIRA NOTES.

Abstract

This study was carried out to analyze the factors influencing tomato marketing in Jalingo Local Government Area of Taraba State: A case study of CBN redesign of naira notes. Public opinion survey design was adopted for the study; multi-stage technique was used to select 100 respondents. Data for the study were collected from primary source with the aid of questionnaire. Descriptive statistic and multiple regressions were used to analyzed data. Results of the multiple regressions indicated that the major factors that significantly influenced the marketing of tomato are: annual income (0.390), scarcity of money (-989.943), low patronage (-6130.114) and high transaction charges (-205.636). During the redesign of the new Naira notes in Nigeria, various mediums of buying and selling were observed, as reflected in the provided table 1. The predominant mode of transactions (buying and selling of tomatoes) by tomato marketers was through cash transfer 96.0%. The result further showed that the major constraints faced by the tomato marketers were naira scarcity (100.0 %), low patronage (91.0%), transportation cost (94.0%), and failed cash transfer (93.0%).  Also, the major medium of buying and selling tomatoes explored by tomato marketers during the period of new Naira redesign are cash transfer (96.0%) and cash payment (90.0%) in the study area. It was concluded that tomato marketing was negatively and significantly influenced by the CBN redesign of naira currency which led to scarcity of money. It was recommended that government should be discouraged from formulating policy that will bring about scarcity of naira currency in the country as it affects marketing of tomatoes and also policymakers and stakeholders in the tomato marketing sector should focus on strategies to enhance income levels, address challenges related to low patronage, and provide financial support to mitigate constraints during periods of Naira redesign.