This study analyzed the marketing system and
consumption pattern of tomato in Ogbomoso metropolis of
Oyo State. A two-stage sampling method was employed to
select one hundred and thirty six (136) respondents. A total
of thirty-three (66) tomato marketers and a total of seventy
(70) tomato consumers were selected from four major
produce markets within Ogbomoso metropolis, using a twostage
sampling technique. Descriptive, budgetary and
inferential statistics were used to analyze the marketing and
consumption data collected from respondents.
Findings revealed that the mean age of tomato marketers
was 43.3years while that of consumers was 29years, 84.9%
compared with 82.9% of sampled marketers and consumers
respectively belong to the female gender. The average
number of years spent in school was 6years and 15years for
the marketers and consumers respectively. Budgetary
analysis revealed that tomato marketing is a profitable
enterprise with BCR of greater than one. Tomato consumers
claimed to consume tomato on daily basis using freshness as
the major criteria for purchase and preferred to consume
tomato in form of stew. Data analysis further revealed that
there is significant relationship between tomato transaction
costs and quantity supplied by marketers. The major
challenges to tomato marketing and consumption
respectively were rapid deterioration in quality and unstable
market price.