Fish in super-shops: A new dimension of fish marketing system in Dhaka (Bangladesh)

Abstract

In this study, fish marketing system of four affluent super-shops and 8 outlets selling wet fishes (2 outlets for each shop) in Dhaka (Bangladesh) were investigated. It was observed that a significant portion of the fishes were supplied from different wholesale fish markets of Dhaka metropolitan city and fish production zones of adjacent districts. Various stakeholders were involved in fish value chain concerning super shop outlets. The availability of fish was more or less similar in all super shops. Three types of supply chains were identified as selling fish through super shops. It was observed that marketing cost varied from Tk. 5.0/kg to Tk. 15.0/kg fish transported, while farmers/fishers incurred the lowest and super shops spent the highest. The sharing of fish prices among the stakeholders at different steps of value chain revealed that live Indian major carps (rui, catla, mrigal and kalibaush) of 1.0 to 1.7 kg size with a fisherman price of about Tk.170 were sold at super shop outlets @ Tk.400/ kg. For these fishes, the fishermen share on consumer payment (FSoCP) was 42.4%, while the intermediaries' share on consumer payment (ISoCP) was 57.5%. It was understood that the super shop chain outlets in Dhaka city, sell better quality wet fish, at a rate of 20-25% higher price, compared to those sold through general fish markets. Both marketing margin and marketing profit were higher in super shops compared to other stakes in the distribution path, owing to their high management costs for retail sell.