Journal of Food Processing & Technology

Abstract

Determinants of consumers preference to indigenous and foreign rice in Gwagwalada area council, Abuja, Nigeria

E. E. Idu; J. Alonge

The study investigated the determinants of consumers’ preference to indigenous and foreign rice in Gwagwalada Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. A simple random sampling technique was employed to select a sample size of one hundred (100) rice consumers. Data collected through interview schedules were analysed using simple paired sample t-test. Results showed that age (49), most of which are young people between 26-30 years also determines the preference of the respondents in the study area for foreign rice at 1% significant difference. Occupational level (14) of the respondents also is a factor for their preference for foreign rice of which most of them are artisans (self –employed). The family size (10) is also a factor that helps them go for foreign rice in the study area, most of the respondent has small family size of 1-5 which enables the household head to purchase more foreign for the family without any financial inconvenience. Only the neatness (2) factor is of significant difference at 5%, which is to say of all factors only neatness was a high determinant in their preference for foreign rice in the study area. It was recommended that standardization of quality of paddy and mill rice and processors compliance to quality standards will increase consumers’ patronage of local rice in Nigeria.