Keywords
wood
marketing
profitability
Maiduguri.
How to Cite
Abstract
This study analyzed the profitability of fuel wood marketing in Maiduguri Metropolitan Council Area of Borno State, Nigeria. The study employed purposive sampling technique to select 60 respondents from the three (3) main fuel wood markets in the study area. Primary data was used for the study. The tools used to analyze the data obtained were descriptive statistics (frequency and percentage) and Gross margin. The study revealed that marketing of fuel wood is a profitable business. It is a major source of cooking energy for Nigerian households throughout the year with the average gross margin for wholesalers of N 69,000 and N 7, 000 for retailers per month. Fuel wood is providing reliable incomes for urban as well as rural households in Nigeria. Despite the profitability of fuel wood marketing, transportation and lack of capital are the major constraints faced by the marketers followed by inadequate storage facilities. To avoid indiscriminate bush burning and illegal tree felling to harvest fuel wood, government agencies should provide the marketers and gatherers with guidelines and support in their activities to prevent the deleterious effects it would have on the environment.
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