Consumers Acceptabiliy On Fresh And Smoked Catfish In Awka, Anambra State.
ABSTRACT
Catfish consumption is increasingly becoming popular among Nigerians. With the rate of growth in population, demand is likely to be on the increase in the future.
A multistage sampling technique of 80 respondents for Eke-Awka market within Awka-South local government area was undertaken using structured questionnaire to obtain information on socio-economic characteristics of the respondents.
Determinants of consumer’ preference, form of fish consumption as well as the relationship between the consumers average income and educational level on the form of consumption for fresh and smoked fish.
Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Chi-square test. Forms in which fish were preferred was analyzed using descriptive statistics and showed that 67.5% preferred fresh fish while 32.5% preferred smoked fish.
Two (educational level, average income) out of nine socio-economic factors considered were significant at P<0.05. There was significant relationship between average income and forms of consumption of fresh and smoked fish in Eke-Awka market (P<0.05), also a significant relationship exist between educational level and forms of consumption of fresh and smoked fish in Eke-Awka market (P<0.05).
It is recommended that the citizens should be educated more on different forms in which catfish can be consumed such as smoked and fresh form, educating them on reasons it should be consumed in that form.
INTTRODUCTION
Background of the Study
Fish is a major source of food for humans, providing significant portion of the protein intake in the diet of large proportion of the people, particularly so in developing countries.
Fish is less tough and more digestible compared to beef, chicken and mutton. Moreover, has little or no religious rejection that gives it an advantage over pork and beef (Kumolu-Johnson and Ndimele, 2011).
The African catfish, Clarias gariepinus Burchell (1822) is a remarkable and fascinating species, as it is extremely hardy and withstands adverse environmental condition and habitat instability. It is hardy and does not easily succumb to disease and feeds all types of biowastes .
The fish can efficiently assimilate a wide variety of animal and plant proteins. Growth of this fish under natural condition is fast. The predatory, cannibalism and voracious feeding habit of this fish catch the impression of the farmers to culture them in natural inland freshwater bodies.
Moreover the faster growth rate and relative higher market price of this fish has been luring the famer to take up its culture.
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