Determinants of Ruminant Meat Demand among Different Income Groups in Maiduguri, Borno State Nigeria

This study analyzed the determinant of meat demand among income groups, using multiple regression. Data for the study were obtained from 180 respondents, selected in six (6) wards through stratified random sampling, representing the three income groups, namely low, middle and high earning ≤ N15000, N15, 001- N30, 000 and ≥ N30, 001 respectively. Further more, 30 households each were purposively selected from the six (6) areas making a total of 180 households for the study. This study was restricted to ruminant meat products (cattle, goat and sheep) demand among households in Maiduguri Urban area and covered the period of May-June, 2010. The findings showed that 89.02% of the households were male headed, with 38 years as the mean age, while 77% had one form of formal education or another. The mean household size was eight, while the mean monthly income was N23,843. The multiple regression results revelled that gender was insignificant determinant of expenditure on ruminant for all the income groups, and was negatively related to high income group. However, the coefficients of gender were positive for low and middle income groups. Household size and income had positive coefficients and were significant at 1% level for all the income groups. Age had positive coefficients for all the income groups and was significant at 1% for middle income group. On the contrary it was not significant for low and high income. Educational level of the respondents had positive coefficients for all income groups and was significant at 1% level for low and middle income groups but was insignificant for high income group. The study recommended policies to improve improved income redistribution and the enhancement of the purchasing power of the poor.