Abstract:
Garlic (Allium sativum L.) is the major cash crop which belongs to the family Alliaceae and
genus Allium, and is a shallow rooted vegetable crop. Though garlic is economically important,
its market chain have not yet been studied and documented in study area. This study attempted to
analyze performance of garlic market chain, analyzing determinants of garlic marketed supplly
and assess the constraints and opportunities of garlic productions and marketing in the study
area. Primary data were obtained from 152 randomly selected garlic producers and purposively
selected 30 traders. Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected using pretested
structured questionnaire and checklists. Descriptive statistics, market structure-conductperformance approach and econometric models were used to analyze the data. Result of this
study showed that the main garlic market chain actors in the study area were producers, local
collectors, wholesalers, retailer and consumers.Result of profit margin shows that, farmers
doing all the work of producing garlic and bearing the associated risks, took 54.89% of the
profit margin. This impliedly, garlic producers added 54.89% of the total value of garlic in the
woreda; whereas, collectors, wholesalers, retailer are responsible for 8.29%, 15.88% and
20.94% respectively.The result of Multiple Regression Model indicated that experience of garlic
production, total land size of household, education level of household, extension service,
distance from nearest market and number of oxen owned were significantly influenced the
amount of garlic supplied to the market. The major constraints of garlic production and
marketing were disease and insect pest, low access to improved inputs, shortage of irrigation
water and land, price fluctuation, collateral problem to get credit, poor storage facilities and
weak linkage between farmers and traders. To solve these problems increased access to
improved inputs, facilitating irrigation technology, strengthening credit institutions, technical
trainings on garlic crop husbandry, strengthening the linkage among garlic producer and
market chain actors(traders) and strengthening supportive institutions and establishment of
storage are recommended.
