CONSUMERS’ KNOWLEDGE, PERCEPTIONS AND WILLINGNESS TO PAY (WTP) FOR FRESH SAFER VEGETABLES IN TAMALE, GHANA

Abstract

In recent years, consumers have become more concerned about the safety of foods they consume because of the increased awareness of inappropriate practices employed in the production of conventional foods and the health repercussions vis-à-vis the consumption of insalubrious foods. This study therefore examines consumers’ knowledge, perceptions and willingness to pay (WTP) for fresh safer vegetables. Three hundred and thirty-one (331) observations used for the study were collected from consumers in Tamale (Ghana) through face-to-face interviews using structured questionnaires. A double-bounded dichotomous choice contingent valuation data was estimated to obtain the mean WTP and the factors influencing consumers’ WTP using the ordered logit model. Results show that consumers have high knowledge in agrochemical residues and microbial pathogens as common food hazards. Also, results reveal that consumers’ knowledge in food-borne diseases and deaths as resultant repercussions of consuming insalubrious foods was high. Results also show that consumer perception that safer foods are healthier was the highest, as a factor influencing consumption. Results further reveal that on average, consumers were willing to pay GH₵ 8.00 (equivalent 128.6% price premium), GH₵ 3.27 (equivalent to 197.3% price premium) and GH₵ 2.89 (equivalent to 189.0% price premium) for safer cabbage, ayoyo and okra respectively. The differences in WTP price premiums were influenced by socio-economic factors, vegetable shopping habit, choice of quality and credence cues, trust, consumer perceptions of food safety and use of farm-gate markets. The study recommends that farmers preserve unblemished attributes and nutritional values of vegetables while using synthetic pesticides prudently and clean water for irrigation since these factors influence consumers’ WTP.