An economic survey of roadside fruit and vegetable retailing in selected upland towns of Cavite / by Regine M. Bularon, Alena Viv A. Vidallon and Meby Grace C. Vidallon.

Thesis (Bachelor of Science in Economics Major in Agricultural Economics) Cavite State University.

Includes bibliographical references.

College of Economics, Management and Development Studies (CEMDS), Department of Economics

BULARON, REGIME M., VIDALLON, ALENA VIV A., and VIDALLON, MELY GRACE C. An Economic Survey of Roadside Fruit and Vegetable Retailing in Selected Upland Towns of Cavite. Undergraduate Thesis. Bachelor of Science in Economics major in Agricultural Economics. Cavite State University, Indang, Cavite. May 2017. Adviser: Dr. Elizabeth E. Polinga.
The study was conducted to determine the: socio-economic characteristics of roadside fruit and vegetable retailers in selected upland towns in Cavite; characteristics of roadside fruit and vegetable retailing business; the percentage contribution of roadside fruit and vegetable retailing business to family income; the number of helpers employed by the fruit and vegetable retailing business; sources of and principal buyers of fruits and vegetables being sold by the roadside fruit and vegetable retailers; problems encountered by the roadside fruit and vegetable retailers related to their business; and plans of the retailers in the next three years in relation to roadside fruit and vegetable retailing. The descriptive analysis which was facilitated by the use of tables, ranges, means, ranks and percentages was used in the study. The data used in the study were gathered from the roadside fruit and vegetable retailers in selected upland towns in Cavite thru personal interviews. The study revealed that most of the fruit and vegetable retailers were female, married, high school graduates, and above 40 years of age. The participants have been in the roadside fruit and vegetable retailing for an average of 10 years. They have at least one family member helping them in the business. The roadside fruit and vegetable retailing business was an important source of additional income contributing more than 20 percent to total family income. The business provides employment to some people especially the helpers hired by the retailers. This is also a big help to these individuals and their families. The major source of fruits and vegetables sold by the participants were wholesalers and other retailers in public markets. On the other hand, the major buyer for fruits and vegetables were the passers-by. The most common problems encountered by the retailers in the procurement of fruits and vegetables were: the products procured are sometimes no longer fresh, high prices of products, they lack capital, and difficulty in transporting the products from the sources. On the other hand, the major problems in retailing or selling of fruits and vegetables include: perishability of some fruits and vegetables, some buyers wanted and even insisted to pay lower price, and days when there were lower sales. The plans of the retailers in the next three years in relation to their business were to: continue to engage in roadside fruit and vegetable retailing, improve the method of selling, expand the retailing business, and for a few young participants, stop engaging in fruit and vegetable retailing.
There were some other minor plans as reported by few retailers. Generally, the average-size roadside fruit and vegetable retailing business does not require too big capital. The capital is affordable to ordinary entrepreneurs. The business helps both the producers and consumers of fruits and vegetables. It also, somehow, contributes to the income of the government thru taxes. The government should try to provide assistance and support to this kind of business, so that the people involved in this business could have better benefits from the business and at the same time provide corresponding benefits to both producers and consumers of fruits and vegetables.

Submitted to the University Library August 23, 2017 T-6925