PATTERNS AND DETERMINANTS OF FRUIT AND VEGETABLE
ABSTRACT
The main objective of this study was to evaluate the patterns and determinants
of fruit and vegetable consumption in urban and rural areas of Enugu State,
Nigeria. The study was articulated based on the fact that despite the relatively
cheap and abundant sources of micro nutrients found in fruits and vegetables,
there abound wide spread cases of micro nutrient deficiencies. The data was
collected from primary sources through a set of questionnaire administered to
240 respondents. The study employed both purposive and random sampling
technique in the selection of the respondents. The data collected were analysed
using descriptive statistics, Working –Leser functional form of regression and ztest
statistic. Citrus, mango, plantain/banana, pineapples, papaya, star apple
were the major types of fruits consumed, while, telferia, tomatoes, onions,
garden eggs, okra and oha were the major vegetables consumed by the
households. The result also showed that the average monthly consumption of
fruit per household during the dry season was 17.8kg and 9.8kg for urban and
rural areas, respectively while the average monthly consumption per household
of fruits during the rainy season was 15.32kg and 12.87kg for urban and rural
areas, respectively. It was 8.68kg for urban and 23.29kg for rural areas for
vegetables during the dry season while it was 6.98kg for urban areas and
28.43kg for rural areas per monthly per household during the rainy season. The
average budget share was 0.0849 for vegetables for households in the urban
areas and 0.0690 for those in the rural areas. When pooled together; it was
0.0828 for fruits and 0.0769 for vegetables. Household’s monthly expenditure,
number of adult females, age of household head, educational attainment of the
household head, price, season and sex were determinants of fruit consumption
in the urban areas. Total monthly expenditure, number of children, number of
adult females, age of household head, educational attainment of household head
and sex were determinants of vegetable consumption in the urban areas. In the
rural areas, number of children, age of the household head, educational
attainment of the household head, price of fruits and season were determinants
of fruits consumption, whereas, total expenditure, number of adult males,
number of adult females, age of household head, educational attainment of the
household head and price of vegetables were determinants of vegetable
consumption. All these variables were significant at various levels of
probability ranging from one to ten percent with different signs. Income
elasticities were below one; ranging from 0.47 to 0.70. The income elasticity for
fruit in urban areas was 0.60 and 0.47 in the rural areas. It was 0.60 for
vegetables in the urban areas and 0.49 in the rural areas. It is therefore
recommended that there is need to put in place policies to promote and support
fruit and vegetable consumption. Secondly, attention should focus on the
processing of fruits and vegetables into forms that can be stored. This will
reduce post – harvest losses as well as making fruits and vegetables available in
all the seasons. Again, education and behaviour change programmes to promote
fruit and vegetable consumption should be mounted. Fruit and vegetable
production should be encouraged particularly in the rural areas. In the same
vein, feeder roads should be built and already built ones maintained. This will
help transport these produce to the urban areas. This will also promote availability and affordability of these products.
MBA, A (2021). Consumption In Urban And Rural Areas Of Enugu State, Nigeria.. Afribary. Retrieved from https://afribary.com/works/consumption-in-urban-and-rural-areas-of-enugu-state-nigeria
MBA, AGWU "Consumption In Urban And Rural Areas Of Enugu State, Nigeria." Afribary. Afribary, 12 May. 2021, https://afribary.com/works/consumption-in-urban-and-rural-areas-of-enugu-state-nigeria. Accessed 08 Nov. 2024.
MBA, AGWU . "Consumption In Urban And Rural Areas Of Enugu State, Nigeria.". Afribary, Afribary, 12 May. 2021. Web. 08 Nov. 2024. < https://afribary.com/works/consumption-in-urban-and-rural-areas-of-enugu-state-nigeria >.
MBA, AGWU . "Consumption In Urban And Rural Areas Of Enugu State, Nigeria." Afribary (2021). Accessed November 08, 2024. https://afribary.com/works/consumption-in-urban-and-rural-areas-of-enugu-state-nigeria