Consumer Preferences as Drivers of the Common Bean Trade in Tanzania: A Marketing Perspective

The objective of this study is to determine the impact of bean grain quality characteristics on market price. The data were collected from retail markets in Tanzania. Hedonic pricing provides a statistical estimate of premiums and discounts. Implications for the development of bean markets include the following: (a) extension agents should identify cost-effective ways to educate producers on targeting urban market niches based on consumer preferences for varieties, (b) breeding for bruchid-resistant beans and use of appropriate storage technologies would alleviate the problems of storage damage, and (c) a portfolio of grain quality characteristics to fit consumer preferences in local markets should be required.