DETERMINANTS OF CONSUMPTION EXPENDITURE ON LOCAL AND IMPORTED RICE IN GWAGWALADA, FEDERAL CAPITAL TERRITORY ABUJA, NIGERIA

The study determined the consumption expenditure on local and imported rice in Gwagwalada, Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Nigeria. A multi-stage sampling technique was used to select 180 respondents for the study. Data were collected using questionnaire were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The results of the reliability test gave a Cronbach’s alphas of 0.6101 (61%). The results of the analysis show that 80.56% were females with a mean age of 41.44 years. 83.89% of the respondents were married, 81.33% of the respondents attained were educated and the average annual income of the respondents was N458,348.89. 54.44% of the respondents preferred foreign rice over local rice, while 45.56% preferred the local brands over foreign brands. The results showed that out of the six explanatory variables included in the Logistic regression model, the coefficients of sex (P< 0.1), marital status (P< 0.05), and level of education (P< 0.01) were the significant factors determining the choice of consumption of local and imported rice in the study area. This implies that a unit increase in male respondent, marital status, and level of education will lead to an increase in consumption of foreign rice. Based on the findings it was recommended that implementation of strategic policies that guide improvements in the production, processing, and marketing of local rice brands for obvious positive contributions to the national income and gross domestic product.