ECONOMIC ANALYSIS OF SOYBEANS MARKETING IN BILLIRI LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF GOMBE STATE, NIGERIA

The study analyzes economics of soybeans marketing in Billiri local government area of Gombe State. The rationale behind it were to; describe the socio-economic characteristics of the soybeans marketers in Billiri; determine the profitability of soybeans marketing; determine the marketing efficiency of soybeans; describe the constraints associated with soybeans marketing in Billiri and to determine the relationship between the marketing variables. Data were elicited from 97 respondents spread across six prominent soybeans markets in the area with the aid of structured interview schedule. Respondents were selected using purposive and simple random sampling techniques. The data obtained were subjected to analysis using multiple regression and gross margin analysis. Majority of the marketers were aged between 21 and 60 years (89.7%), and were male (70.10%). 61.9% of the respondents were married, 84.51% had at least 10 years of marketing experience in the area, with a ME = 74.19%. more than half of the respondents (52.6%) had attended secondary school. Soybeans marketing in the area were profitable, which was evident from the gross margin of. 4,123.88 per marketer on average every week. Major constraints encountered by the soybeans marketers include; lack of capital, scarcity and high price of soybeans at lean period, high cost of transportation, risk of buying low quality soybeans, poor packaging material, and high Interest rate charged on loans which narrow their profit.