Assessment Of The Consumers’ Awareness And Marketing Prospects Of Organic Fruits And Vegetables

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Date
2015-11-02
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Abstract
The increase in the consumption of organic products has been demand led, the consequence of a positive shift in consumer attitudes to organically produced food and also supply driven, with consumer reaction to more competitive prices and increasing availability. As a result of the increasing demand for organic foods, this study was aimed at assessing consumers’ awareness and willingness to pay premium for organic fruits and vegetables as well as determining the marketing prospects of these organic foods in the Techiman Market. The face-to-face interview technique was employed using a structured questionnaire for this cross-sectional study from September to November, 2014. Out of 330 questionnaires administered, 318 were valid and included in the data analysis accordingly. This study showed that most of the consumers (74.53%) were aware of organic foods and they became aware generally through the radio (36.71%) and school/books (22.78%). Majority of the consumers were willing to pay up to 50% premium for the organic fruits and vegetables. The study found that there was a huge market potential for organic fruits and vegetables in the Techiman Market. The estimated market potential for the organic fruits and vegetables were GH¢3,514,383,194.70 and GH¢5,341,348,087.50 per year, respectively. The empirical results showed that age, marital status and income significantly influence consumers’ willingness to pay a premium for organic fruits and vegetables. Also, knowledge of chemical residues in chemically grown fruits and vegetables and their associated health risks significantly influence consumers’ willingness to pay a premium for organic fruits and vegetables.
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A Thesis Submitted to the Department of Food Science and Technology, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Award of Master of Science in Food Quality Management,
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