CONSUMER WILLINGNESS TO PAY FOR QUALITY BEEF IN KAMPALA, UGANDA

Abstract

Limited information on beef consumer preferences and beef quality are among the major challenges that impede development of Uganda’s beef industry. This study aimed at determining the quality attributes and socio-economic characteristics that influenced the choice of beef bought by consumers and influenced their willingness to pay. The study surveyed 300 beef consumers in Kampala City and used a hedonic pricing model of analysis. The Hedonic Pricing model results indicated that income and beef attributes i.e. bone content, fat content, colour of the lean and colour of fat significantly influenced willingness to pay. The study concluded that there is a high willingness to pay for quality beef. The identified attributes could be used as a basis for establishing a grading or classification scheme for beef into economically distinguishable classes. This information may also be used by the various beef value chain actors to make improvements in their activities in an effort to meet consumer choices with different levels of willingness to pay.