POULTRY FEED MARKET ANALYSIS IN A RURAL PERI-URBAN AREA OF AKWA IBOM STATE, NIGERIA

The study evaluated the poultry feed market situation in the rural peri-urban area of Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. The study analyzed demand trend of the different types of feed in the study area, determine the supply pattern of the different types of poultry feed in Ikono Local Government Area. Simple random sampling technique was used to select 160 farms and structured questionnaire was administered on 144 farmers that sufficiently responded to the questionnaire for inclusion in the statistical analysis. Descriptive statistics such as mean, frequency, percentages, incidence index analysis and factor analysis were used to analyze the specific objectives. Analysis of the feed brand preference among poultry farmers in the study area showed that 69% of the farmers used Top Feed, about 19% of the farmers used Hybrid feed while 7% of the farmers used Amo Byng Feed. It was gathered that Top Feed was the most preferred feed used in Ikono Local Government Area. The study therefore concluded that to enable farmers maximize profit, there is need for them to choose feed brands that are easily available in the shop, support growth and fast weight gain. Recommendations were directed towards manufacturer’s improvement in production, effective distribution methods and access to credit facilities.