Sales of Medicinal Forest Tree Barks in Abeokuta, Ogun State Nigeria

Abstract

The marketing of forest tree barks used for medicinal purposes were investigated in some markets in Abeokuta metropolis. This was to provide the much needed information on the sellers, buyers and producers of these products for sustainable production and maximum socio-economic benefits. This study identified 43 species being sold in the market places sampled namely Kuto, Omida, Itoku, Lafenwa, Iberekodo and Elega. Almost the same species were traded in all the markets sampled. This study further revealed that the trade of forest tree barks is pre-dominated by women accounting for 93.3% of the total respondent. Fifty one percent of the respondents were recorded among the youths between the ages of 15 and 20 years old. Forest tree bark sales were found to contribute to the monthly income of the respondents. For instance more than half of them
earned between N7,500 and N10,000 as monthly incomes from bark sales. A total of 62 or 41.33% or the total respondents were found to earn more than the State Government minimum wage of N4,600 monthly. The Chi-square statistical analysis showed that there was a relationship between income earned by the respondents and the location of the markets.

African Research Review Vol. 1 (1) 2007: pp. 65-76