Analysis of Cowpea Market Integration in Kiyawa Local Government Area of Jigawa State, Nigeria

The study examined temporal and spatial price integration of cowpea markets in Kiyawa Local Government Area of Jigawa State. Four periodic cowpea markets (Duhuwa, Kazuba, Kiyawa and Shuwarin) were purposively selected. Recurring survey was used to collect cowpea retail prices from 260 selling agents, 208 were for temporal market integration, while 52 respondents were selected for spatial price integration analysis. Shuwarin market was selected as the base market in the spatial survey and cowpea retail prices were collected weekly for 3 month. Similarly the month of September was selected as the base month for the temporal price integration and weekly prices of the commodity were collected for 12 month. Data were analyzed using correlation matrix t-statistics. Result of the t-statistics revealed a positive relationship between the base month and the month of October, November and February with t- values of 0.5, 0.35 and 0.35 respectively. However, no price connection was realized against June and July with t- value of 0.00. Correlation matrix showed a strong price integration (p>0.01) between Shuwarin and Kazuba cowpea markets. Similarly Shuwarin prices significantly (p>0.01) influences prices of cowpea at Duhuwa market. However lower level (P>0.05) of price connection was found between Shuwarin and Kiyawa cowpea markets. Therefore it was concluded that, cowpea markets in this area have shown strong evidence of price responsiveness even though, the degree of responsiveness varied across the markets. It was recommended that, market and price policy instruments should capture plans at local, state and national level that would eventually lead to stability in prices, creation of an efficient marketing environment that would subsequently increase production and enhances food security and marketing.