Evaluation of Cold Chain Infrastructure for Vegetable Marketing in South East Nigeria

Cold chain infrastructure is a critical enabler of reduced post-harvest losses and improved food quality along vegetable marketing channels in Nigeria. In South East Nigeria, the near-total absence of refrigerated storage and transport systems forces vegetable traders to operate under ambient conditions that accelerate deterioration of perishable crops. This study evaluates the state of cold chain infrastructure along vegetable marketing corridors in Anambra, Enugu, and Imo states, assessing availability, operational status, access patterns, and trader awareness of cold chain benefits. A mixed-methods approach combining structured questionnaire surveys with 200 vegetable traders, key informant interviews with cold store operators, and observational audits of existing cold chain facilities was applied. Results indicate that only three functional cold storage facilities exist across the three states, all of which are privately owned and primarily serve large-scale tomato traders. The majority of vegetable traders have no access to refrigerated transportation. Awareness of cold chain benefits is moderate, but cost and distance are the dominant barriers to access. The study recommends a public-private investment framework to scale up cold chain infrastructure in South East Nigeria, with a specific focus on community-level evaporative cooling chambers and subsidized refrigerated van services for fresh produce markets. Keywords: cold chain, vegetable marketing, post-harvest loss, South East Nigeria, infrastructure