Preferences for Palm Oil in Urban Togo, Africa: A Consumer Perspective

Abstract

The local palm oil market of Togo has been facing competitive imports. Examining consumer preferences for domestic versus imported palm oil will aid local farmers with a more marketable product. A conjoint choice experiment (CCE) was designed to discover consumer preferences. Three-hundred surveys were conducted over two weeks in Sokodé, Togo in June 2014. Latent class analysis results showed three distinctive classes of consumers. Class 1 (69%) consumers purchase palm oil once a week and have formal education. They prefer lower price and local palm oil for cooking sold at boutiques. Class 2 (28%) prefer local oil and Class 3 (3%) prefer imported oil. A site suitability analysis with ArcGIS revealed the best growing areas for the trees. The results will be presented to rural farmers in Togo in order to assist in the production of the best product for consumers, increasing local production and supporting the local economy.