23 Analysis of Farmers’ Cashew Nuts Marketing Channels and Information Frequency: Implications for Cashew Sustainability in Nigeria Agbongiarhuoyi A. E. 1 , Uwagboe E. O. 1 , Agbeniyi S. O. 1 , Famuyiwa B. S. 1 , Shittu T. R. 1 1 Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria (CRIN) P.M.B. 5244 Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria Correspondence: toniagbons@gmail.com Abstract: Cashew marketing system in Nigeria is deregulated and influenced by middlemen who determines sales price for rural farmers. They are constraint to sell their produce at cheaper prices. This situation affects producers’ livelihood and discourages production. The study assessed the channels of marketing raw cashew nuts (RCNs) by farmers in Oyo and Kwara States. A multi stage sampling procedure was used in selecting farmers and data were obtained using interview schedule. The result shows that male farmers (82%) dominated cashew production. Farmers sold 80kg bag of cashew to buyers for an average price of N 4,231 ($10.2) during the 2016 season. This was relatively low compared to cost of production. The most frequent channel farmers used in selling cashew nuts was village buying traders (71.7%). Most (70%) of the farmers had no idea of market information before selling their produce. The major constraints encountered by farmers were low price (95%), dishonesty of middlemen (87.5%) and lack of government regulation on cashew price (86.7%). Significant relationship existed between how often farmers get cashew market information and their marketing channels; r= -0.194, p= 0.033. Multiple marketing channels did not translate to higher frequency of sourcing information about cashew nuts. This was due to farmers’ inability to get market information before sales. In conclusion, most farmers obtained low prices from the sale of raw cashew nuts to local buyers. This does not ensure sustainable development of cashew sub-sector because of poor remuneration and information gap. [Agbongiarhuoyi A. E., Uwagboe E. O., Agbeniyi S. O., Famuyiwa B. S., Shittu T. R. Analysis of Farmers’ Cashew Nuts Marketing Channels and Information Frequency: Implications for Cashew Sustainability in Nigeria. World Rural Observ 2020;12(3):23-30]. ISSN: 1944-6543 (Print); ISSN: 1944-6551 (Online). http://www.sciencepub.net/rural . 2. doi:10.7537/marswro120320.02 . Keywords: Cashew nuts marketing, Buyers, Raw cashew nuts price, Farmers Introduction Cashew Anacardium occidentale L. is cultivated in all the agro-ecological zones of Nigeria including the semi-arid areas, but with a high concentration in the middle belt areas. Cashew production comes from 27 out of 36 States in Nigeria. These include: Kogi, Oyo, Kwara, Enugu and Edo. Others are Abia, Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bayelsa, Benue, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Ekiti, FCT, Imo, Kaduna, Nasarawa, Niger, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Plateau, Rivers, Taraba and Lagos. In the past 12 years, production has increased almost thirty-fold from 30,000 metric tonnes in 1990 to 836,500 Metric tonnes from estimated land area of 366,000 ha (Adeigbe et al, 2015). Cashew is an important cash crop which earns foreign exchange and contributes significantly to Nigerian economy. According to Sotonye of the National Cashew Association of Nigeria (NCAN), export of cashew nuts from 2015 planting season gave Nigeria about N 50 billion. This was an improvement of N 24b the sub sector contributed in 2013 and 2014. Cashew earns Nigeria USD 374 Million from export of raw cashew nuts (RCNs) and the country exported 220,000 tonnes of RCNs in 2017 as against 160,000 tonnes in 2016 (Adeniji, 2018). Nigeria is among the leading exporters of quality raw cashew nuts, with an average 48 kernel Output Ratio KOR (Nigerian Export Promotion Council, 2018). The KOR also, referred to as the out-turn rate is measured at the de-shelling stage as the weight of usable kernels in pounds (lbs) per bag of cashew nuts (80 kg or 176 lbs). Improvement in the quality of Nigerian cashew is mainly due to more commercial plantations being established and application of Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) at the farm level. The Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria (CRIN) who has national mandate to conduct research on cocoa, kola, coffee, cashew and tea has intervened by training cashew farmers, processors, extension agents on GAP and encouraging farmers to join registered cooperative societies. Majority of the RCNs produced were exported to India, Brazil, Vietnam and China for processing and then re-exported to USA, Europe, Japan and the rest of the world. The selling of raw