ABSTRACT
The pricing efficiency of the woodfuel market system is the final aspect of its performance that must be investigated. Taxes and fees on the fuels, at both the rural and urban ends, total 7 to 8 per cent of the retail price for charcoal, and less than 1 per cent of the retail price for firewood. For firewood, all relationships are positive, and both the total distance and road condition have strong positive correlation with the producer price, particularly in the dry season. Firewood prices are the highest in Mbeya, even though that is the one town of the three that appears to have plentiful firewood supplies. Firewood prices went up greatly for producers in Dar es Salaam and retailers in Shinyanga, although the margins were highest for traders in Mbeya and lowest in Dar es Salaam. The seasonal price changes for firewood show similar trends.
