Determinant Factors of Cooperatives Honey Marketing Supply in Sheka, Kaffa and Banch Sheko Zones

Abstract

Ethiopia, having surplus honey sources of flora and the highest number of bee colonies, is the leading producer of honey and beeswax in Africa. Ethiopia is one of the biggest wax exporters to the world market. Cooperatives create a network which helps beekeepers and communities to share experiences, training opportunities and marketing tools. The study aimed to investigate the determinant factors of the supply of honey marketing cooperatives in Sheka, Benchi sheko and Kaffa zones. Explanatory research design with mixed research approach was employed to carry out the study. Multiple regression and correlation analysis was used to analyze the data. The SPSS Version 26 was used to analyze the cross sectional data. Target populations of the study were honey marketing cooperatives supply in Sheka, Benchi sheko and Kaffa zones. The study was conducted based on the data gathered from 276 respondents from 69 honey marketing cooperatives selected purposively the board of director, manager of the cooperative, the marketing manager and sales person. The primary and secondary data was used and it was obtained from honey marketing cooperatives in the three zones. The data was collected through questionnaire data collection instruments. The study finding revealed that cooperative age, asset size, price, access to credit, place of sales, promotion, product quality and government policy support were significantly influence the supply of honey marketing cooperatives measured by Sales volume. Based on the result of the study, it is recommended that honey marketing cooperatives better access credit, focus on advertising, and support financial access and other infrastructures. For future studies investigate the other unsought internal determinants and external determinants of the cooperatives' sales supply on infrastructure and technology is recommended.