Economic analysis of value-added activities along the Pineapple value chain in selected districts in the Central region, Ghana

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to analyse the value-added activities along the pineapple value chain in selected districts in the Central Region. The study employed the descriptive survey design while interview schedules were used as the instruments to collect data from respondents. A sample size of 320, 66 and 169 pineapple farmers, processors and marketers were obtained. The study revealed that pineapple production and processing were profitable whereas marketing was not. The study rejected the null hypothesis that there was no significant difference in the profit share of the actors. Revenue, capital and planting materials were the determinants of farmer profit; capital, pineapple fruits and packaging materials were the predictors of the processors' profit and transportation, revenue and loading and off-loading cost predicts the profit of the marketer. The study found that pineapple farmers, processors and marketers were technically inefficient. In addition, the study revealed that the farmers were faced with the lack of credit facilities as a major constraint. For the processors, ack of raw materials was their major constraint whereas the marketers were faced with fruit perishability as their main problem. Furthermore, the activities by the pineapple farmers and marketers were highly sustainable while the activities of the processor were very highly sustainable. The study recommended among others that NGOs and other partner agencies promote the pineapple industry in various ways to assist decrease the country's poverty by providing the actors with credit facilities that will enhance their productivity, profitability, and sustainability.