Abstract:
Haricot bean is one of the major types of pulses grown in Ethiopia especially in the lowland
regions of rift valley. White haricot bean is as a source of income, nutrition and also used as
source of foreign currency. This study was undertaken to identifying white haricot bean value
chain actors; examining the marketing performance of dry white haricot bean; analyzing the
determinants of haricot beans supply to the market and identifying major constraints and
opportunities some actors along haricot bean value chain in the study area. This study result
showed that distance from production area to the near market center, access to market
information, education level of household heads and total land owned household were found
significantly affect the quantity of white bean supply to market. Sever insects attack, disease,
weeds, lack of improved seed variety, wild animals, shortage of rain fall, shattering of seed and
delayed supply of inputs specifically pesticides and fertilizer are also main challenges faced in
the study area. The value chain analysis revealed that the major actors in the Woreda are input
wholesalers agent rural retailers’, local collectors, primary cooperatives, urban retailers and
wholesale agents. Accordingly, the value chain activities in the survey period input supply,
production, marketing, export and consumption. The white haricot bean marketing performance
was also measured using marketing margins complemented with analysis of costs and gross
profits generated by different marketing channel actors. The research also finds that white
haricot bean passes through several intermediaries with little value being added before reaching
the end users. The lowest net margin is observed at farm level where haricot bean sold directly
from producer to consumers only through local collector and urban retailer. While highest profit
is realized in wholesale agent and exporter. So, the chain is governed by wholesale agent and
exporters who have capital advantage over the other chain actors. Therefore, strategy aiming at
increasing farmers’ existing extension service, developing and improving infrastructure and
should also be strengthened in a way that enables working in harmony with relevant actors to
bring the value chain’ development.
