Food Consumption Pattern in Ogbomoso Metropolis of Oyo State, Nigeria

Abstract

The study shed light on food consumption pattern in Ogbomoso Metropolis using Almost Ideal Demand System. Information on different classes of food consumed by the household was obtained using a multistage random technique. The result showed that demand for root and tubers and vegetables are elastic than demands for the other classes of food considered in this study. Also, legume has the most inelastic own-price elasticity among other food items considered in the study. This indicates that households in Ogbomoso metropolis are insensitive to changes in the price of legumes. Expenditure elasticities of all the food items were examined and were found to be less than one. All the food items are expenditure inelastic with root and tubers and fruits having the highest expenditure followed by animal protein, cereals, legumes and vegetables respectively. This implies that despite being staple foods, the consumption of each of these will decline as per capita income increases, this finding is counter intuitive. The highest expenditure elasticity is found for the fruits, suggesting that its demand will grow faster than the demand for the other products as the economy develops and income increases.