Abstract
This study assessed information needs of palm oil processors in Osun state, identified the palm oil processing technologies available to them, examined the sources of information, determined the level of information needs, and identified the constraints to the use of palm oil processing technologies. A two-stage random sampling procedure produced 140 palm oil processors. Data were collected and analyzed with descriptive statistics, Multiple Regression Analysis and Chi square. Findings showed that 54.3% of the respondents were females, middle-aged (48years), and 10.2 mean years of formal education. The most prominent technologies with information needs were digesting (100%) and processing machine (51.4%). Palm oil processors common source of information was through cooperative meetings (99.3%). Level of information needs was high in sterilization machine (MS=2.38), threshing machine (MS=2.26), digesting machine (MS=2.16), pressing machine (MS=2.34). and clarification machine (MS=2.14). Inadequate fund to purchase equipment (MS=2.61) was identified as the severe constraints to palm oil processing technology. At p<0.05, years of formal education (β=-0.160), income(β=-0.244) and frequency of extension contacts (β=-0.400) were the determinants of palm oil processing technology information needs. The study concluded that there was high information need among palm oil processor. This implies that there is gap in the access to adequate and appropriate information among palm oil processors and recommends among other things that extension agents and other relevant agencies involved in disseminating information focus on the identified areas of technology needs for improved palm oil processing.

Key words: Processing; technologies; disseminating information; palm oil; machine