Species availability, price variation and marketing channel of fish in Dhaka city

Abstract

The study was conducted on species availability, price variation and marketing channel of fish in seven markets namely Showarighat, Kawran Bazar, Jatrabari, Anondo bazaar, Polashi Bazar, Mohakhali and Mogbazar and three super shops namely Meena Bazar, Shwapno and Agora in Dhaka for six months from May 2016 to October 2016. Data were collected through questionnaire interviews and focus group discussions. In Dhaka city a large number of people were involved in the fish marketing channel as bepari, aratdar, paiker, and retailer. Paiker and bepari bought fish from producer and finally sold fish to retailer through aratdar. Retailers were the last intermediaries of fish marketing channel and they had direct contact with the consumer.The most available fish in seven markets and three super shops in Dhaka city are golda chingri (Macrobrachium rosenbergii), bagda chingri (Penaeus monodon), bele (Glossogobiusgiuris), poa (Otolithoides pama), deshi pangus (Pangasius pangasius), rita (Rita rita), rupchanda (Pampus chinensis), common carp(Cyprinus carpio), grass carp(Ctenopharyngodon idella),taki(Channa punctatus),boal(Wallago attu), chapila(Gudusia chapra), shol(Channa striatus), catla(Catla catla),Koi (Anabas testudineus), rui (Labeo rohita), shing(Heteropneustes fossilis), shorputi(Puntius sarana), silver carp(Hypophthalmichthys molitrix), tilapia(Oreochromis mossambicus), big head(Hypophthalmichthys nobilis)mrigal(Cirrhina mrigala)etc.In the study area, marketing channel which comprise of Beparies, Aratdar, Paiker, Retailer and Consumer. The market chain from farmers to consumers covers mainly primary, secondary and retail markets, involving local agents, suppliers, wholesalers and retailers. Beparies bought fish from primary producer in primary markets that are located in Soarighat. Beparies sell their fish to Paiker and Retailer through Aratdar.Retailers were the last traders of fish marketing channel. The highest price was observed of Rupchanda 1278.33±386.67 Tk/kg at Meena bazar and lowest price was pangus 97.71±4.25 Tk/kg at Soarighat among Meena bazar, shwapno, agora, Jatrabari, Soarighat, Annanda bazar, Polashi bazar, Kaoran bazar, Mogbazar, Mohakhali. The highest price was observed of Chingri 585±115 Tk/kg at Mohakhali and lowest price was Big head 128.75±4.27 Tk/kg at Soarighat among Jatrabari, Soarighat, Annanda bazar, Polashi bazar, Kaoran bazar, Mogbazar and Mohakhali.Poor transport facilities and enormous number of intermediaries in the marketing channels were the main problems of fish marketing channel.During peak seasonprice was lower than that of lean season.