Over the years, major changes came into effect to improve the agricultural marketing system. Other groups like regulated markets, co-operative marketing institutions, marketing boards, warehousing cooperatives etc., have been established primarily to help the farmers. Different marketing functions are required to be improved to meet daily requirements of the farmers. In the case of improving the marketing system for livestock and food in developing countries as Nigeria, it is applicable to understand the nature of marketing problems as it is only by doing this that workable solution can be found.
Identified problems are as given below.
Poor handling, packing and processing facilities
Lack of information about production and marketing
Lack of farmer's organization
Inadequate research on marketing
Lack of uniform standardization and grading
Large Number of middlemen
Small and scattered holding
Forced Sales
Technological Development Problems in farm production
Lack of transport facilities
Growth of urban centres
Communication problem
Inadequate storage capacity and warehousing facilities
Adulteration of produce and malpractices in market
The following are the suggested measures to improve Agri marketing
Provision of Agri marketing training to farmers
Co-operative marketing
Provision of cold storage facilities and refrigerated transport
Improving transport facilities
Market information
Market research
Market Extension
Development of physical market
Establishment of regulated markets
standardization and grading
Improvement in handling and packing
Provision of storage facilities
Source:http://www.slideshare.net/gbolahanfolarin/agric-marketing