FACTOR AFFECTING CONSUMERS PREFERENCES FOR SMOKED AND FROZEN FISH IN OLORUNDA LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF OSUN STATE.

This study was carried out to examine the factors affecting consumer preference for smoked and frozen fish in olorunda Local Government area, Osogbo, Osun state, Nigeria. A multistage sampling technique of 120 respondents from 8 urban areas within Olorunda Local Government area of osogbo was undertaken using semi structured questionnaire to obtain information on social economic characteristics of the respondents, determinants of consumers’ preference, attributes of fish as well as socio cultural factor on consumers’ preference for frozen and smoked fish. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and inferential analysis. The study revealed that household size, age, distance to market, price of smoked fish had positive significant effect in the consumers’ preference of smoked fish in the study area. The result revealed that majority of the respondents’ preferred smoked fish in the study area. The mean age of the consumer was 25 years, the average years spent in school of the respondents is 12 years which indicates that majority of them had formal education, the average household size of the respondents in the study area was 4 members. More so, most of the respondents (39.15%) in the study area are civil servants. Eight different variables considered in the study and the three of these significantly influence preference for smoked fish which are age, household size and price of smoked fish, while three of this were negatively significant factors that influence preference for frozen fish which are age, household size and price of frozen fish. It is then recommended that awareness and publicity of health benefits from consumption of frozen fish should be made know by health officials to the consumer in other to guide them in decision making in the consumption of fish in the study area. Market should be situated close to consumer in other to have easy access to frozen fish outlet and there should be plans by government to bring a reduction in price of fish products through improved accelerated fish production and distribution. Since, majority or consumer buy fish because of it relative cheapness, effort should be made by government at all level towards increasing supply of frozen fish in the market.