Determinants of production and marketing of Kororima (Aframomum kororima); the case of South Ari district, South Omo zone, SNNPR, Ethiopia

Abstract

The spice sector is a vital component of Ethiopia’s agriculture, generating substantial foreign exchange. Aframomum corrorima, often known as Ethiopian cardamom or kororima, is one of the spices used extensively for a variety of applications throughout the nation. However, there are a number of limitations on its marketing and production. This study is aimed to determine and evaluate the factors influencing the production and marketing of Aframomum corrorima in the South Ari district, specifically the market outlet choice decisions. For this study, 150 sample farmers were chosen from five kebeles by using a multi-stage sampling technique. Data were collected through a survey of the sample respondents. Econometric models the multiple linear regression and Multivariate probit model were used to analyze the data. The result of multiple linear regression models indicated that out 12 variables included into the model 7 variables significantly (P < 0.05) affected the production of Aframomum corrorima. The result of multivariate probit model showed significant difference in producer market outlet choice. The study found that household, gender, access to price information, and distance to the nearest market significantly influenced the selection of collector outlets. While household gender, education level, landholding size, and access to pricing information significantly influenced the choice of retailer outlets at different probability levels, wholesaler outlet choice was also highly influenced by distance to the closest market and price information availability. These findings suggest that the livelihoods of smallholder farmers in the study area could be effectively improved by interventions that address these issues.