Market chain analysis of honey production in Atsbi Wemberta district, Eastern Zone of Tigray National Regional State

This study was initiated to analyze honey marketing chains particularly in Atsbi Wemberta District, Eastern Zone of Tigray Region. The focus of the study was, to analyze the structure of production costs and determine profitability of the production, to analyze the determinants of honey supply in the study area, identify the major constraints and supply of the commodity to the market, to evaluate structure-conduct-performance of honey marketing. The data were generated by individual interview and group discussions using pre-tested semi structured questionnaires and checklists. This was supplemented by secondary data collected from different published and unpublished sources. Robust OLS regression econometric model was used to analyze the determinants of honey marketable supply. The results obtained from this analysis indicates that education level of the household head, price of honey in 1999 E.C. and the quantity of honey produced were found to be the most important positively significant variables influencing honey marketable supply of the District. The channel analysis of the commodity indicated a very short route. The main market participants for honey marketing of the District during the survey period were honey collectors, retailers and processors. Besides, a significant amount of honey produced is channeled directly to consumers from producers (434%). The honey marketing performance was also measured using marketing margins complemented with analysis of costs and gross profits generated by different marketing channel actors. Major problems of the production identified and prioritized by beekeepers in the study area were drought, pests and diseases of honey bee, lack of beekeeping equipments, death of colony, marketing problems, and shortage of bee forage and lack of adequate beekeeping skill. Based on the study results, interventions demanded to raise marketable supply of honey produced are recommended