ABSTRACT:

The study is a socio-economic analysis of the trade in Gnetum africanum and bush meat in lkom Local Government Area of Cross River State It determined the socio-economic characteristics of respondents, costs and returns in the trade, the marketing .constrains as well as the relat1onsh1p between the respondent's volumes of trade The respondents were selected from the ten wards tn the study area. Data were obtained on some socio-economics variables which include age sex. martial status, occupation and number of years in business Other parameters investigated were the costs incurred. revenue made from the trade as well as constraints inherent in the business. The study revealed that. maionty (75%} of the respondents were males in their economically active years (16·45 years). Also, there existed division of !abour that would have enhanced labour efficiency. The study further . revealed that. there was some occupational integration amongst the respondents given the number of part-time traders (48 percent). There was also a significant relationship (p > O 05} between the respondents' number of years in business and their volume of trade. The benefit-cost ratio indicated that the trade in bush-meat earned higher than Gnetum .africanum trade The marketing constraints include higher transportation cost, inadequate storage and preservation facilities amongst others The study therefore recommends amongst others, the construction of access roads to reduce marketing costs. the provision of storage and preservation facilities to minimize loss of production from these forest products