Inventory Management Practices in Agro-Input Supply Businesses in Ogun State

Agro-input supply businesses serve as a critical link in Nigeria's agricultural input delivery system, connecting manufacturers and distributors of seeds, fertilisers, and agrochemicals to farming households. In Ogun State, in the South West geopolitical zone, where input demand is high due to a large and commercially active farming population, the inventory management practices of agro-input retailers significantly affect input availability, cost, and quality at the farm level. This study examines inventory management practices in agro-input supply businesses in Ogun State and their implications for business performance. A purposive sample of 50 agro-input retail businesses was selected from Abeokuta, Sagamu, and Ijebu-Ode. Data on procurement planning, stock turnover rates, storage conditions, spoilage and expiry losses, and reorder systems were collected through structured questionnaire interviews. Inventory performance metrics including stock turnover ratio and carrying cost percentage were calculated. Results indicate that seasonal demand spikes create procurement challenges for 78 percent of businesses, leading to either stockout losses or overstock situations depending on purchasing timing. Average fertiliser storage losses from lumping and moisture damage were 6 percent of purchased stock. Only 28 percent of businesses used any form of digital inventory tracking, while the rest relied on manual stock counts. Businesses using first-in-first-out rotation recorded significantly lower expiry losses. The study recommends adoption of simple digital inventory management tools and training in demand forecasting techniques for agro-input retailers through Ogun State's Agricultural Development Programme. Keywords: inventory management, agro-input supply, Ogun State, stock management, input retail