The purpose of this research is to describe a proposal for the examination of a tentative international marketing venture. The purpose of the venture would be to import cocoa beans into the United States from Nigeria.
It is intended that a total of seven research questions be investigated in the proposed study. These research questions are as follows:
1. What is the status of the market for cocoa beans in the United States size, growth trends, and so forth?
2. What countries are currently the major suppliers of cocoa beans to the United States?
3. Is is probable that Nigeria can compete with the current suppliers of cocoa beans to the American market?
4. What are the legal requirements applicable to the import into the United States of cocoa beans from Nigeria American import restrictions generally, American import res trictions applicable to Nigerian products, tariffs, and so forth?
5. Will the American international balance of trade problem likely affect the venture?
6. What sources of financing are available for the proposed venture government and private, and Nigerian and American?
7. What types of insurance are available for the pro posed venture cargo, credit, and so forth, and from what sources is it available government and private, and Nigerian and American?
In current dollars, the United States imports approxi mately $500 million in cocoa beans annually (Paxton, 1989). Stated in current dollars, this value has been declining in recent years. Thus, in real terms, the cocoa market in the United States has been shrinking at a much higher rate than is indicated by the nominal data. The probability exists, there fore, that the proposed venture will face the necessity to com pete in a shrinking market, although further investigation may reveal some market niches where growth is occurring or may be developed.
Currently, the United States imports most of its cocoa beans from Latin Ameri...