Profitability of snail marketing in Benin Metropolis, Edo State, Nigeria

Abstract

The study examined the profitability of snail marketing in Benin metropolis, Edo state, Nigeria. Random sampling procedure was used to select 60 respondents from selected markets in the study area. Structured questionnaire and interview schedule were used to collect primary data from the respondents. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, market margin, gross margin and marketing efficiency ratio. The results showed that marketing of snail in Benin metropolis was predominantly a female activity. The result also shows that 44.9% of the respondents were above 50 years of age. Majority (58.3%) of the respondents had household size of five or less than five persons. The predominant channel of distribution for snail marketers was from hunters/producers, to wholesalers, to retailers and finally to the consumers. Snail marketing was found to be profitable with the marketers making a gross margin of ₦3,255.90 per 196 small size snails sold in the study area per week. Some of the constraints faced by the marketers were high cost purchase, high cost of transportation and inadequate storage facilities. It was recommended from the findings of the study among others, that snail marketers should form cooperative societies so as to tackle the problem associated with high cost of purchase.

Keywords: marketing margin, gross margin, marketing efficiency ratio, snail