Analysis of Fish Market Chain: The Case of Gilgel Gibe Dam I Reservoir Southwest of Ethiopia

Abstract

This study was aimed at analysis of fish market chain in Gilgel Gibe dam I reservoir Southwest of Ethiopia with specific objectives of investigating the fish market channels and performance and analyzing the determinants of fish supply to the market. A three stage sampling procedure which includes both purposive and random sampling were used to select sample respondents. Primary data were collected from 128 randomly selected individuals’ interview using structured questionnaire via enumerators and secondary data were acquired from published and unpublished sources. Descriptive statistics and econometric analysis were used to analyze the data. The result of fish marketing channels and performance analysis shows 196,885 kg of fish were produced by the respondent which is 79% passed through twelve main alternative marketing channels and 16.4% was consumed by producer. The result of GMM shows the producer get the higher margin (at channel II and XII which is 75% and 73.7%) when they sell to cooperatives and collectors and in general restaurants and hotels get the highest margin in this fish value chain (i.e. 142-146%). The result of multiple linear regression model indicated that volume of fish supply in this study area is positively and significantly affected by fishing experience, price of fish in 2017, producer membership to fishery cooperative and access to credit service. Therefore; it needs strong government intervention on supporting fishermen in providing modern input and technologies, empowering fishery cooperatives, strengthening of market extension and linking them with financial service provider and improving extension system are recommended to accelerate the fishery value chain’s development thus income of individual fishermen could be enhanced