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CONSUMER PREFERENCES FOR PAWPAW IN IBADAN METROPOLIS
Olabode I.A., Akinwumi G.S., Layade A.A., Adegbite O.O., Researchers National Horticultural Research Institute, Ibadan, Nigeria E-mail: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected],
ABSTRACT
Pawpaw is one of the tropical fruits that are produced and consumed in various forms all through the year in Nigeria. A field research survey was undertaken to study the consumer preference and analyze consumer behaviour regarding pawpaw in Ibadan, Oyo State Nigeria, during the period of June to November 2013. Two hundred and fifty consumers were selected in the metropolis at random for the interview using structured questionnaires. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and chi-square. The result of the analysis showed that 52% of the respondents were female while 48% were male. Most of the respondents were between 25 and 44 years (68.4%) and married (74.8%). Study revealed 65.6% consumed pawpaw in both peak and lean seasons attributing their reasons to health benefits >taste >colour>price. Preferred attributes of pawpaw include: oblong shape (36.4%), medium size (41.2%), yellow flesh colour (53.6%) and slightly green fruit colour (41.2%). The chi-square values showed that there was no significant difference in the response on shape (p>0.05). However, responses about size, flesh colour, fruit colour and amount willing to pay differ significantly (p<0.05). Factors such as taste >price>size>colour > shape determine purchase decision of pawpaw. The study recommends intensive research into development and multiplication of pawpaw varieties that have appealing characteristics to consumers for increased demand.
KEY WORDS
Consumer preference, characteristics, purchase decision, chi-square.
Pawpaw (Carica papaya L.) is one of the major fruits produced and consumed in Nigeria. The fruit is a power house of nutrients (Nguyen, 2014) which can be consumed as a fresh fruit, processed or used in variety products such as jams, fruit juices and ice cream. Unripe fruits and leaves are consumed as vegetable. The seeds are also used as an ingredient in salad dressings. The fruit is not just delicious and healthy, but whole plant parts, fruit, roots, bark, peel, seeds and pulp are also known to have medicinal properties. The many benefits of papaya owed due to high content of vitamins A, B and C, proteolytic enzymes like papain and chymopapain which have antiviral, antifungal and antibacterial properties (Aravind et al, 2013). Its nutritional and industrial utilization potential made it to gain wide acceptance and thus regarded as an important food crop in the tropics (Olubode et al, 2005).
The pawpaw fruit is produced on herbaceous trees grown from seeds, one of the few that bear fruits within a year of planting. Native to Central America and southern Mexico, pawpaw plants can grow more than 30 feet tall on a single trunk (Thomas, 2015). The fruit prefer wind-protected areas with full sun, hot humid climates, well drained soil, regular watering, and steady applications of various fertilizers. Under favorable conditions, plants keep producing fruit throughout the year. Nigeria ranked fifth in Pawpaw production after India, Brazil, Indonesia and Dominican Republic with a production figure of about 775,000 tons (FAOSTAT, 2012). While crop yields vary with plant care and growing conditions, pawpaw, when harvested is green with a stripe of yellow at their base; they ripen during transportation or are commercially ripened on arrival (FAO, 2003). As pawpaw ripens, skin colour changes from green to yellow, and the fruit becomes softer and develops a fruity aroma. Pawpaw is normally sold to consumers when they are at least one-quarter ripe. Optimal ripeness occurs at the three quarter stage, when the fruit bears a yellow-orange peel and an orange-red pulp. Peel colour may vary from yellow to reddish-orange, depending on the variety of pawpaw (FAO, 2003).
In recent years, Ibadan have seen a rapid change in its citizens' consumptive behaviors and life styles due to economic growth, improvement in the standard of living and fast urbanization. The transitioning economy, the new class of consumers and the change in the food retail sector has added to the change in consumer behavior and consumption preferences. Particularly, the demand for pawpaw, an important component of the Ibadan diet, has also been changing in recent years. Preference for fruit size varies for different regions of the world. While the Asian Pacific Region prefers the smaller export size fruit, the Caribbean and Mexican region tend to select the larger fruits above 1 kg (Nakasone and Paull, 1998). Consumer behaviour research enables better understanding and forecasting not only of the subject of purchases but also of purchasing motives and purchasing frequency (Schiffman, Kanuk 2004). Market prospects for the fruit look bright with growing demand especially in domestic markets because of its health benefits. Understanding consumer preferences and behaviour is important in the related decision-making of key stakeholders, including producers. The purpose of this study therefore is to:
i. Describe the socioeconomic characteristics of respondents.
ii. Assess the pawpaw characteristics that are important to consumers
iii. Identify factors that determine consumer preference for pawpaw as well as influence purchase decision.
METHODOLOGY
Study area. Ibadan is one of the metropolitan cities in Nigeria. It is the capital city of Oyo state and is located in the South Eastern part of the state. Its population according to 2006 census results was 2,559,853 and it is made up of eleven local government areas (NBS, 2009). The city covers an area of about 3,080 square kilometers (1,190 sq mi) and lies at latitude 7°23'47"N and longitude 3°56'0"E. The field research survey was undertaken to study the consumer preference for pawpaw in Ibadan, Oyo State Nigeria, between June and November 2013. Random sampling technique was adopted in selecting 310 consumers in the metropolis. However, 250 were usable - resulting in a usable response rate of approximately 80.6 percent. Primary data were collected through the use of structured questionnaires. Data collected were on age, educational level, occupation and income. Others includes, information on consumption pattern, fruit physical characteristics, season of consumption, reasons for consumption, frequency of consumption, and other factors that determine the choice of pawpaw. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and chi-square.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Socio-economic characteristics of respondents. Results (Table 1) revealed 52% of the respondents were female between the ages of 25 and 44 years and married (74.8%). This implied that married women who were in their physically/ psychologically active age could positively influence preferences and purchase decisions for pawpaw. Most of the respondents (64.4%) had secondary and tertiary education while 64.4% were civil servant, indicating that most of the respondents were literate and could appreciate the importance of fruit consumption. This is similar to the findings of Ohen et al, (2014), who conducted a study on consumer purchasing behaviour for fruits and vegetables among Civil servants in Essien Udim Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. Monthly income of most of the respondents was between N21,000 to N 60,000 (50%). Income of consumers could be a major determinant in the frequency of fruits purchase.
Season and frequency of consumption. Most of the agricultural crops are seasonal and seasonality affects volumes of fruits purchased or consumed significantly (SDC, 2010 and Layade and Adeoye, 2012). About 3.0% consumed pawpaw during off-season, 31.6% consumed the fruit at peak season while, majority (65.6%) of the respondents consumed it in both seasons. This is an indication that seasonality does not affect pawpaw consumption and there is demand for the fruit all through the year. On the basis of frequency of consumption,
31.6%% consumed pawpaw two to three times per week, 30% consumed the fruit three to four times per month, while 18.4% rarely eat pawpaw. Furthermore respondents reported that pawpaw was consumed due to the following reasons: health benefit > taste > colour > price (Table 2).
Table 1 - Socio-economic characteristics of respondents
n/n Frequency Percentage
Gender
Male 120 48.0
Female 130 52.0
Age (years)
15-24 19 7.6
25-34 84 33.6
35-44 87 34.8
45-54 39 15.6
55-64 7 2.8
No response 14 5.6
Marital status
Single 63 25.2
Married 187 74.8
Educational level
No formal education 37 14.8
Primary education 52 20.8
Secondary education 70 28.0
Tertiary education 91 36.4
Occupation
Self employed 50 20.0
Civil servant 161 64.4
Corporate/private organisation 32 12.8
No response 7 2.8
Monthly Income (N)
< 20000 55 22.0
21000-40000 77 30.8
41000-60000 48 19.2
61000-80000 10 4.0
> 80000 19 7.6
Above 100000 34 13.6
No response 7 2.8
Source: Field survey, 2013.
Table 2 - Season and frequency of consumption
Season Frequency Percentage
Peak season 79 31.6
Off-season 7 2.8
Both seasons 164 65.6
Frequency of consumption
Rarely (once or less than once in a month) 46 18.4
Occasionally (3-4 times per month) 75 30.0
Regularly (2-3 times per week) 79 31.6
Frequently (once per day) 50 20.0
Reason Yes No
Health and nutritional benefits 231(92.4) 19(7.6)
Taste 202(80.8) 48(19.2)
Colour 154(61.6) 96(38.4)
Price 123(49.2) 127(50.8)
Source: Field survey, 2013. Figures in bracket are percentages.
Preferred characteristics of pawpaw. In Table 3, 36.4% of the respondents preferred oblong shape, followed by round shape 31.6% and 26.0% preferred pear shape. 41.2% preferred medium size while small size of pawpaw was preferred by 16.4%.The medium size
pawpaw may be preferred as against the big fruit probably because the big fruit tend to have undesirable characteristics as lower fruit number per plant, lower percentage total soluble solid (sweetness) and lack firmness as stated by (Subhadrabandhu et al, 1989). Large fruit size may also be perceived as being produced using hormones. However, the preferred commercial export variety of pawpaw produce fruit is about 400 g. Great effort has gone into developing the multiple small fruited 'Solo lines' of papaya, which are the standard in the export market this is according to (Subhadrabandhu and Nontaswatsri, 1997). In the study areas, consumers do not consider sweetness as a quality attribute since, according to them, consumers are attracted to only good-looking fruit.
On the basis of flesh colour, a significant proportion 53.6% preferred yellow colour. Color has consistently been an important attribute in previous fruit and vegetable analyses. The relative importance for colour of apples was 17.98% in Jerko and Kovacic (2008). Approximately 41.2% were willing to pay between N 100 and N199 (1 US dollar = N160 as at the time of survey). The chi-square values showed that there is no significant different in the response on shape (p>0.05). The responses about size, flesh colour, fruit colour and willing amount differ significantly (p<0.05).
Table 3 - Preferred characteristics of pawpaw by respondents
n/n Frequency Percentage p-value
Shape
Oblong 91 36.4
Round 79 31.6 0.395
Pear shape 65 26.0
No response 15 6.0
Size
Small 41 16.4
Medium 103 41.2 0.001
Big 89 35.6
No response 17 6.8
Flesh colour
Pink 50 20.0
Yellow 134 53.6 0.001
Orange 39 15.6
Red 27 10.8
Fruit colour
When it is green 29 11.6
When it is slightly green 103 41.2 0.001
When it is slightly yellow 101 40.4
When it is very yellow 17 6.8
Willing amount to pay (N)
Less than 100 22 8.8
100-199 103 41.2
200-299 63 25.2 0.001
300-399 13 5.2
400-499 - -
500 and above 7 2.8
Source: Field survey, 2013.
The major source of pawpaw purchase was the market (66.0%), 23% from street hawkers, 10% from farm and only 1% from grocery stores. This supports the findings of Ohen et al (2014), who reported that most civil servants, who were fruit and vegetable consumers, preferred purchases in an open market reason being that it is readily available or nearer to their residence.
Forms in which the respondents prefer pawpaw. Fresh pawpaw was significantly preferred by the respondents (mean=3.6), followed by fruit salad (mean=1.25) and juice (mean=1.16) (Table 4).
Table 4 - Forms in which the respondents prefer pawpaw
n/n Very important Somewhat important Important Less important Mean Mean Rank
Fresh fruit 197(78.8) 15(6.0) 26(10.4) 12(4.8) 3.61 1st
Juice 46(18.4) 50(20.0) 48(19.2) 106(42.4) 1.16 3rd
Fruit salad 75(30.0) 48(19.2) 38(15.2) 89(35.6) 1.25 2nd
Source: Field survey, 2013.
Factors that determine the choice of pawpaw. Taste, price, size, colour and shape were highlighted by respondents as factors that determine their choice of pawpaw in order of importance (Table 5). This supports the report of SDC, (2010), that amongst factors influencing choice of purchase of fruit and vegetables, priority is given to freshness, price, external look/appearance and taste (SDC, 2010).
Table 5 - Factors that determine the choice of pawpaw
n/n Very important Somewhat important Important Less important Mean Mean rank
Price 142(56.8) 27(10.8) 28(11.2) 53(21.2) 3.05 2nd
Size 101(40.4) 46(18.4) 46(18.4) 57(22.8) 2.78 3rd
Shape 82(32.8) 38(15.2) 46(18.4) 84(33.6) 2.49 5th
Taste 178(71.2) 27(10.8) 30(12.0) 15(6.0) 3.50 1st
Colour 101(40.4) 41(16.3) 43(17.3) 65(26.0) 2.73 4th
Source: Field survey, 2013.
CONCLUSION
Changes in the economy have led to changes in consumer behaviour and preferences. Understanding consumer preferences for pawpaw is important for government, policy makers and other stakeholders in the production and marketing of this fruit. These preferences can be determined through the characteristics of the pawpaw product, and consumer types can be inferred from the choices that they make among those attributes. The fact that pawpaw fruit is consumed in both peak and lean seasons with consumers attributing their reasons to health benefits, taste, colour and price necessitates increased production and marketing for year round availability. In order to cope with increasing demand, changing lifestyle and consumer preference, there is the need for intensive research into development and multiplication of pawpaw varieties that have appealing attributes to consumers.
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