ANALYSIS OF CASHEW MARKETING EFFICIENCY IN EAST SUMBA DISTRICT, EAST NUSA TENGGARA, INDONESIA

This study aims on examining market structure of cashew, examining market behavior of cashew, and analyzing cashew market performance in Lambakara and Nggongi village. Cashew farming has contributed to providing livelihoods and job opportunities for many farmers, both as a side business and as a main business. The result of this study showed that cashew marketing structure tends to oligopoly that cashew farmers become price taker condition, market behavior of cashew in Lambakara and Nggongi village is not efficient yet where farmers are limited to gain price information and market performance of cashew in Lambakara and Nggongi village is not efficient yet. Performance analysis of cashew market in Lambakara and Nggongi village individually obtains selling margin up to Rp. 6,000 until Rp. 6,250 with high farmer share level which is 75% caused cashew farmers to have low benefits. Based on market efficiency level obtained from Lambakara and Nggongi markets individually obtained up to 57.5% until 62.67%, market efficiency value in Lambakara and Nggongi village is higher than 30%.