Comparative Analysis of Constraints Affecting Tamarind Processing and Marketing in Kano, Kaduna and Nasarawa States, Nigeria

This study examined the constraints affecting tamarind processing and marketing among processors and marketers in Kano, Kaduna, and Nasarawa States, Nigeria. Primary data were collected in 2025 using structured questionnaires and a multistage sampling technique. Descriptive statistics and weighted mean scores were used to identify and rank the severity of constraints faced by actors in the tamarind value chain. Results revealed that inadequate capital, poor road networks, high transportation costs, spoilage, and difficulty in gathering tamarind from the wild were the most severe constraints across processors and marketers.

Nasarawa marketers were most constrained by inadequate capital (mean 3.96), while Kano marketers cited poor road networks (mean 2.97) and Kaduna marketers reported difficulties in gathering tamarind (mean 3.04) as key challenges. Processors were predominantly constrained by post‑harvest losses and lack of storage.

These findings reflect broader challenges in rural agricultural value chains, notably financial, infrastructural, and post‑harvest barriers that limit value addition and market efficiency in under‑utilized indigenous food sectors (Anegbeh et al., 2025; Magry et al., 2023; Van der Stege et al., 2011). The study recommends targeted interventions in finance, infrastructure, storage technologies, and market information systems to strengthen the tamarind value chain in Northern Nigeria.

Tamarind, Constraints, Processing, Marketing, Kano, Kaduna, Nasarawa, Nigeria

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