Abstract
This survey determined the factors influencing fresh beef consumption and its marketing efficiency among consumers and sellers, respectively, in rural communities of Maiha Local Government Area (LGA), Adamawa State, Nigeria. Combined purposive and random sampling methods were employed in the selection of respondents for the study. A structured questionnaire, group discussion and an interview schedule were used to source the data. Descriptive statistics, multiple regression analysis and marketing efficiency were the measures adopted in analysing the data. The findings show that males (69.96%), who were mostly married and educated, were the major consumers of beef in rural areas. A large proportion were farmers with a monthly income between ₦20,000 and ₦50,000, and the majority were middle-aged persons with a household size of 1–5 individuals. Major significant (p < 0.05) socioeconomic determinants of fresh beef consumption in the domain were income, household size, monthly expenditure on beef, frequency of consumption and age. A value of 156% for marketing efficiency reveals a highly efficient market system for fresh beef. The challenges most commonly experienced by fresh beef consumers were the incomes of household heads (70.76%) and the price of fresh beef (49.87%). In conclusion, middle-aged, educated males constituted the bulk of beef consumers in the area surveyed, with income, household size and monthly expenditure on fresh beef the main determinants of consumption. Concerned institutions should therefore advance policies that would lower the cost of beef in order to increase the consumption rate in rural communities.