Consumer for Non-Wood Forest Products Factors Affecting Their Preferences: Example of Manavgat (Antalya) District

Abstract

The forests provide wood and non-wood forest products besides environmental services. Non-Wood Forest Products (NWFP) have gained more importance than wood raw materials, especially for people in rural areas due to their economic return. The aim of this study is to determine the factors affecting consumer preferences for non-wood forest products. The data of the study, which was carried out in Manavgat (Antalya), were pre-processed by means of a questionnaire and made ready to be summarized, and the answers to the questions were conveyed using a frequency table, percentage value, and graph. Differences between the variables were determined with the chi-square test and evaluations were made on the outputs that were found to be significant. According to the results of this research; (a) Consumers largely use non-wood forest products to benefit from general health protective effects and for pleasure, (b) the majority of the products are consumed in the form of infusion and mixing with foods (c)Among the factors that affect consumption of these plants, habit and recommendations of relatives are first place (d) the most important factor in the purchasing preferences of the products is that they are natural. Among consumers, the rate of obtaining non-wood forest products from nature is very high. In this study, it has been revealed that consumers are conscious of consumption of non-wood products.