Abstract:
ABSTRACT
The study was conducted in Gozamen District, East Gojjam Zone, Amhara Region, Ethiopia, from
September 2017 to July 2018 to determine honey quality, to characterize the market structure and
conduct, to pin-point the impacts of domestic honey marketing system and honey quality on export
marketing, to identify the major opportunities and challenges of honey production and marketing.
Questionnaires for the survey, laboratory analysis for honey quality and market concentration
ratio and traders’ behavior for market structure and conduct were employed. A total of 120
beekeepers (118 males and 2 females) and 25 honey traders (18 males & 7 females) were
interviewed for the survey. A total of 22 honey samples (18 samples from six kebeles representing
the three beehive types across the three agro-ecologies and 4 samples from market points) were
collected and analyzed at Holleta Bee Research Center and Bless Agri Food Laboratory Services
PLC.The survey data were analyzed using SPSS version 23 whereas market structure and conduct
frame work were employed to evaluate honey market chain.Market concentration ratio showed
the market structure was moderately concentrated and weak oligopoly market (CR4=47.1%). The
honey quality analysis indicated that the overall mean value of moisture content (17.22±1.56),
glucose (17.22±1.56), sucrose (26.96±4.94), pH (4.28±0.26) and acidity (29.322± 0.2) were
significantly different among different locations at (P<0.05).Similarly,the mean values glucose
,sucrose ,ash and water-insoluble solids were significantly different at (P<0.05) between the three
types of hives.The honey samples collected from honey traders were with high sucrose
level(10.18%) confirming the adulteration of honey with sugar syrups. Moreover; this study
revealed that the domestic price at different market points is higher than export price indicating
the impact on export marketing. As a result; inspection, control, and regulatory measures are
indispensable tasks to improve the honey quality and establish healthy honey marketing system in
the study area.
Keywords: Domestic and export market, Gozamen, honey quality and marketing system.