SPATIAL MAPPING OF SHELL FISH MARKETING IN KURE ULTRA-MODEM MARKET, MINNA, NIGER STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

Geographic Information system and Remote Sensing in the field of marketing is used in this study to open up a wide range of its possible applications as the study assessed shellfish marketing in Kure Ultra Modern Market Minna Niger State. The aim was to develop a database of various shellfish product on sale at the market. The demographic profile, socio-economic characteristics of the marketers and problem associated with the marketing, 100 questionnaires were administered the analytical tool used were frequency distribution, tables, percentages and cost-benefit ratio. Returns from the interview and questionnaire were use to verify the result which depicts that both male and female were engage in the business with female forming the majority group (55%) and 45% men. Marketing of the shellfish was profitable which was attributed to realization of the significant of shellfish over meat. The high profit was recorded in raining seasoning (70%) while dry season sales were 30%. Species of shellfish marketed were crayfish, prawn, cockles, snail, shrimps and crabs. The study also shows that the shellfishes mostly sold are in fresh form (85%) while 15% are in dry form. Daily sales ranges from N1000-N5000, majority of the respondents (75%) patronize low-cost transportation means between N500-N1000. In every enterprise there must be a problem; most of the problem encountered by the respondents were lack of constant supply from the landing site which is mostly marine environment, inadequate storage facility, poor transportation, high tax charges and theft; all this attribute data and the co-ordinate of the selling point at the market were put into ArcGIS environment. Base on the findings, recommendations were profiled t0 the government and database kept for references.