Abstract: ABSTRACT The need for agricultural marketing research arose from the inadequacy and inefficiency of the various farm produce marketing intermediaries and the failure of rural farming populace in the realization of adequate rewards from the efforts geared towards agricultural production. Thus, it becomes imperative to shed research light on agricultural marketing activities especially agricultural pricing system, as this provides the signal to which farmers respond by either increasing or reducing their output.
This response may be undertaken through horizontal expansion in which changes in areas under cultivation occurs, through vertical expansion in which changes in productivity is experienced (Kohls et. al, 1972), ultimately, it is agricultural price which determines resources allocation between farm and non-farm enterprises (Adegeye and Ditton 1985). Thus, the improvement in agricultural productivity and Living standard of small-scale farmers are largely occasioned by the marketing system. Therefore, it has almost become customary believe that farmers are reaping a lot of gains from the hike in agricultural produce price. However, it is an established fact that the marketing system, performs a great role in the determination of what the farmers receive and what the consumer pays at the end of the day (Hussaini, 1990).
In Nigeria, people have the notion that the marketing agents manipulate agricultural produce prices for the sake of raking in a great deal of gain at the expense or disadvantage of the local farmer and thus making the agents better-off. This research therefore, investigates the marketing system in relation to the agricultural commodity pricing system and the effects on marketing agents' income in order to solve the afformentioned problems. Hence, a total of 500 respondents were interviewed through Five sets of questionnaires which were spread over four settlements and their market and Badiko market centres. For this purpose, three agricultural commodities considered most popularly and widely consumed by the populace were given consideration in this research, e.g, Cowpea, sorghum and maize were chosen for the research. However, the findings reflected a wide gap between the farmers and marketing agents, with these intermediaries making a higher gain than the farmers, who were at disadvantage with the agents. As a regard to this end, a farmer-biased strategy has been advocated to adequately tackle the problems of farmers.............ORDER FOR COMPLETE PROJECT MATERIAL NOW!! .
