Fishery Tecilnolopj
2001, Vol. 38(2) pp : 129 - 132
Marketing Efficiency of Fresh Fish Trade in
Cochin and BTeraval
Nikita Gopal, V. Annamalai, M.P. Remesan and Prem Kumar
Central Institute of Fisheries Technology
Mntsynpt~riP.O., Cocizin - 682 029, Indi,o.
Price spread is an important index of marketing efficiency. This study reports the price
spread between landing centres, wholesale and retail markets in Cochin (Kerala) and Veraval
(Gujarat) for important varieties of fish. The price spread is very high both in wholesale
and retail markets. While in wholesale market the price spread ranged from 1.11% to 46%,
it was as high as 471% in the retail rnarket at Veraval and 1410% at Cochin. The range
of price spread was found to be very high during the periods of low price and high catch,
and low during high price and low catch season. The benefit of high price spread accrue
to the middlemen, depriving both the consumer and the fishermen of a fair price.
Key words: Price spread, marketing channel, marketing intermediaries, landing centre,
holesa sale market, retail market
The price spread, measured as the Materials and Methods
difference 'between the price paid by the
With a view to estimate the price spread
consumer and the price received by the
in fish markets of Cochin (Kerala) and
fishermen, is an important index of market-
Veraval (Gujarat), primary data were col-
ing efficiency as well as the fairness with
which the market treats the consumer and lected from landing centres, wholesale and
the producer. An efficient and fair market retail markets for major species of fish
is characterized by a quantum of price marketed in these localities. Data were
spread that is equivalent to the marketing collected over a period of two years from
costs including the cost of storage, transport, 1998 to 1999, covering all the seasons. The
display, handling, package, the opportunity data collection was carried out twice a week
cost of marketing functionaries and the from landing centers at Veraval and Cochin
transaction capital. Studies have been carried Fisheries Harbour and the corresponding
out on the marketing efficiency in fish trade retail markets at Cochin and Veraval. In
in Uttar Pradesh (Katiha & Chandra, 1990) addition, the major beach landing centres of
and Tamil Nadu (Sathiadas & Panikkar, Cochin such as Kamalakadavu and Vypin
1988). The study of marketing margins is of were covered once a week. Data for the first
special significance in fisheries for the reason and last days of the week were not included,
that fish prices fluctuate far more drastically so as to avoid abnormalities in price
than the price of manufactured goods. While formation.
most manufactured consumer goods show a
steady upward movement, fish prices show Price spread reported in the study
a cyclical upward movement. The short covered imwortant table varieties of fish such
period cycles of very high and low price for as sardine, mackerel, seer fish, pornfret,
fish allow enough room for marketing threadfin bream, shark, tuna, thread fish,
intermediaries to exploit both the fishermen wolf herring, perch and catfish
and the consumer, rendering the market
inefficient and unfair. Hence, a systematic Results and Discussion
of
inv~sti~ation this asvect is of imvortanca
to understand the profile of farmers and Table 1. Sono-personal profile of shrimp farmers
their relationship tourards training needs. Variables 56 of farmers (N=30)
Data were collected by employing a well-
structured and pre-tested interview sched- Age
ule. Frequency distribution, mean, percent- Less than 50 years 56.67
50 years & above 43.33
age, correlation analysis and t tests were
Education
used for analysis and interpretation. SSLC/H.Sc. 33.33
Graduates and above 66.67
Results and Discussion Occupation
Aquaculture alone
The findings of the study regarding the
profile of the farmers are presented in Table
-
Aquaculture others
Farm size
1.It maybe seen that most of the respondents Up to 4 ha
were less than 50 years of age and had Above 4 ha
collegiate and above level of educational Farming experience
status. The innovative nature of the enter- Up to to years
Above 5 years
prise could have attracted young and highly
Type of farming
educated peopie. Majority of the respondents Modified extensive type
(66.67%) had other occupations in addition
Annual income
to shrimp farming and t h ~ smay be due to Less than Rs. 25,000
the risk A d cost intensive nature of shrimp Above Rs. 25,000
enterprise. About 80% of respondents had Credit orientation
farm size of less than 4 ha. The experience Obtained
of the respondents varied from 2 to 9 years. Not obtained
Almost all the farmers were practising Extension agency contact
Low
modified extensive farming of Penaet~s Medium
monodon with 5-6 nos. of post larvae per m2 High
The annual income of the respondents varied Mass media eqosure
from Rs. 30,000 to 5,00,000 because of their Low
differential occupations. Majority of the Medium
High
respondents (60%) availed credit from banks
Social participation
or private money lenders. Low
Medium
Farmers were aware of extension agen- High
cies of concerned organizations. However, Risk orientation
majority of them had limited contacts with Low
these agencies. Most of the respondents had Medium
High
medium to high degree of mass media
Scientific orientation
exposure. They were' of the opinion that Low 1O.W
aquacultural programmes were very rare in Medium 20.00
mass media channels. The respondents were High 70.00
found to be high risk takers (80%), exhibited Economic motivation
high degree of scientific orientation (70%) Low 6.67
Medium 20.00
and economic motivation (73.33%). Fellow Hign 73.33
farmers and feed company representatives
were the prime sources of information. The training needs of shrimp farmers in
Meeran & Jayaseelan (1999), while studying the order of ranking are presented in Table
socio-personal, socio-economic and socio- 2. It was noticed that 90% of the respondents
psychological profile of shrimp farmers, expressed their need to have training on
rpnnrtprl qimi!nr finriinuq
TRAIhXiVG IGEEDS OF SHNMP FARMERS
Table 2 Training nerds of s!ulmp farmers major expenditure in shrimp farming is on
Training needs % of farmers Rank
feed and the farmers are for its judicious
(N=30) use.
Health management 90.W 1 h'early half of the respondents required
Recent advances in training on sustainable shrimp production
shrimp farming 7444 2
including every step from site selection to
Pond management (soil,
water quality, etc.) 6556 3 post harvest management. Equal percentage
Seed se!ection and stocking 63.33 4 of farmers were of the view that shrimp
Pond preparation 61.11 5 farmers need to be educated on group
Feed management 52 21 6 h g . About half of the respondents
Sustainable shnmp farrmng 48.89 7 expressed their desire to be educated on
Group farming/cooperative farming 48.89 8 proper site selection and appropriate method
S~teselection and farm con.s:ruction 45 56 9 of farm construction. Significant number of
Socio-economics, environmental farmers desired to have training on the
consequences of shrimp farming 40.00 10 social, economic and environmental conse-
quences of shrimp farming, so that they can
are the major threat to shrimp fanning. The be prudent enough to make efforts to
farmers showed keen interest to know the minimize the unfavourable consequences.
ways to prevent the occurrence of diseases,
easy ways to detect them and methods of To study the nature of relationship
effective disease control. About three-fourth between the personal attributes of shrimp
of the respondents (74.44%) desired to be farmers and their training needs, a correla-
informed of recent advances in shrimp tion analysis was carried out. The results of
farming. About 65% of respondents opined correlation analysis (Table 3) have clearly
that they needed training on pond manage- shown that there is no sigruficant relation-
ment, especially regarding soil and water ship between them. Fourteen variables were
quality conditions, water exchange, applica- taken for analysis and none of the attributes
tion of probiotics, etc. This may be due to was significantly related. Further, the
their understanding that optimum soil and attributes like age, education and farm size
water conditions are critical for a successful
crop. Table 3. Relationship between personal attributes and
training needs of shrimp farmers
Majority of the respondents (63.33%)
Personal attributes Con: Coeff (I)
wanted training in identification of quality
seed, seed testing and stocking. Farmers Age
were of the view that getting good quality Education
seed is one of the major constraints. The Occupation
need for acquiring the knowledge in Farm size
identification and detection of healthy seed Fanning expenence
was also felt and expressed. More than half Type of farrmng
of the respondents (61.11%) desired to have Credit orlentatlon
training & pond preparation, especially on Annual income
application of correct dose of inputs, proper Mass med~aexposure
blooming, optimum levels of various Extension agency contact
parameters, etc. About half of the Social partinpation
respondents (52.2276) desired to have train- Risk onentation
ing in feed management - identification of Scienhhc onentahon
good quality feeds, recommended feeding Economc mohvahon
were negatively related. It was proved that Senior Scientist and Dr. T. Ravishankar, Scientist, for
shrimp farmers, irrespective of their social, their valuable suggestions in preparing this manu-
script.
economic and psychological standing, were
eager to acquire necessary knowledge and
References
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The authors are grateful to Dr. G.R.M. Rao,
Director, CIB.4 for his constant guidance and encour- World Bank (1990) World Bank Report, Oxford
agement. They are also thankful to Dr. hl. Knshnan, University Press, New York