PREFERENCE FOR FRESH AND SMOKED FISH AMONG FISH CONSUMERS IN KARAYE LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, KANO STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

This study evaluated the preference for fresh and smoked fish among fish consumers in Karaye Local Government Area (LGA) of Kano State. Two hundred (200) fish consumers, randomly selected from the Karaye market, were interviewed using a structured questionnaire. Data obtained were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The majority of the respondents were male (60.5%), and youthful (69.5%) with at least secondary school education (86.0%). The predominant household size (42.0%) was 1-5 while the respondents’ majority (61.0%) earn a monthly income which is not more than N50,000. The majority of the respondents (58.5%) preferred to consume fish in fresh form, with taste being the major reason (58.5%) for their preference. Among those who preferred smoked fish, taste (86.8%) was also the major basis for their choice. Only 44.0% of the total respondents’ population agreed that household, income, and educational levels affect their choice of fish form. Regression result reveals that level of education and household size significantly influenced the choice of the forms of fish consumed by the respondents at 5% and 1% respectively while chi-square analysis indicated that price and taste are significant on the consumers’ choice of fresh or smoked forms of fish at 5% confidence interval. Hence, the preference of fish consumers in the study area is higher for fresh fish than smoked fish while educational level, income, taste, and fish price play important roles in the consumers’ choice.