Consumer preferences for rice in East Africa

Purpose Improving the competitiveness of East Africa's rice industries necessitates increased and viable production quality desired by consumers. This paper aims to understand consumer preferences for attributes in Uganda Kenya inform countries' breeding programs value chain development interventions. Design/methodology/approach Rice samples are obtained from retail markets various districts/counties across two countries. The analyzed a grain laboratory rice's physicochemical characteristics resulting data used non-parametrically estimate hedonic price functions. District/county dummies included account potential heterogeneity preferences. Findings Ugandan consumers willing pay premium with relatively high proportion intact grains, but discount chalkiness. Kenyan amylose content impurities. There is evidence Mbale, Butaleja Arua districts Kericho Busia counties Kenya. Originality/value study makes novel contribution literature on Africa applying pricing model generated analysis market. Rather than base our consumers' subjective sensory assessment rice, standard methods generate data, which enables more objective relationship between market prices quantities present samples.