Influence of Product Information on Processed Maize Flour Marketing by Small and Medium Millers in Dodoma City, Tanzania

Abstract

The study aimed at assessing the influence of product information on processed
maize flour marketing by small and medium millers in Dodoma City. According to
The City Council of Dodoma (2020), Dodoma has 28 maize flour millers out of 856
in Tanzania. About 17 of the maize flour small and medium millers in Dodoma
package their products but 11 do not do so. Also, 70% of customers of maize flour
in Dodoma buy the packaged maize flour in bags (viroba) and 30% of the rest of
customers go to the millers with their maize for processing; others buy in small
portions measured in small tins. However, with little or no formal studies carried
out in Dodoma city on product information and its effect on processed maize flour
marketing by small and medium millers in Dodoma city’s perspective, this study,
therefore, assessed the influence of product information on the marketing of
processed maize flour by small and medium millers in Dodoma city. A cross
sectional research design was adopted for this study. A simple random sampling
strategy was used in choosing 96 respondents from small and medium millers in
Dodoma city. Data was collected through a questionnaire for clients (customers)
and in-depth interviews with owners of Small and medium mills for processing
maize into flour. Inferential statistics were used to analyse data. The study findings
indicated that product information was statistically and significantly related to
marketing of processed maize flour by small and medium millers in Dodoma city at
a p-value less than 5% (p < 0.000). The study concluded that small and medium
millers in Dodoma city, product information, and finally packaging material had a
significant effect on the marketing of processed maize flour. This implies that
product information had a great contribution to the marketing of processed maize
flour by small and medium millers in Dodoma city. The study recommends that
Small and medium millers in Dodoma city should always ensure that their
packaging is coloured so as to market the processed maize flour.