Market Analysis of Cowpeas-Leaves: An Indigenous Vegetable in North West Province, South Africa

The study uses North West Province as a case study to make a market analysis of pumpkin leaves as an indigenous vegetable in South Africa. The study utilizes an adapted Porter’s model to address: threat to enter, competitive buying power, supply, and substitutes to the production/harvesting, marketing, and consumption of cowpea-leaves. The regression analysis shows that the adapted Porter’s model used in the study is appropriate in analysing the competitiveness of the marketing of cowpea-leaves in the study area. The model rejected the hypothesis that no significant relationship exists between socio-economic characteristics and marketing of cowpealeaves. The study found that there are no formal or informal institutional structures available to the marketers of cowpea-leaves in the study area. The study concludes that, should the income of the current households consuming cowpea-leaves increase, they are likely to substitute other types of vegetables for this vegetable.