When considering the development of lagoons for aquaculture production the existing marketing system for fishery products is an important aspect. The following considerations are of relevance
even if fishermen are usually grouped into cooperatives,
which are authorized and controlled by Turkish law, they are
not used to marketing their production directly.
Almost all sell their catch to private traders that serve
specific consumption areas. The ratio between producer and
consumer prices is often 1 : 5 – 1 : 6. This can only be partly
justified by transport costs and distances to markets.
The low prices at producer level would certainly not support
cost prices of fish coming from production units which have
incurred heavy investment costs. In this case production costs
would probably be higher than producer prices.
Apart from capital investment costs production inputs for
aquaculture in lagoons are in general priced lower than in
other countries of the region. Availability of fish meal,
naturally low salaries, and better natural conditions would
grant an advantage for the development of lagoon culture
production systems.
private traders control fish trade and can impose market
conditions to lagoons and aquaculture producers. Even if some
cooperatives are interested in marketing their own production.
they, probably would meet difficulties in doing so :
firstly they would run against existing tradition, secondy to set up
a distributive system for limited quantities may not prove
economical.
It can be assumed that new production capacities have to find external markets in the long run, as internal demand has already been to some extent satisfied. If the rate of internal inflation decreases according to the 5 year national plan Turkish.
commodities would be rather competitive on the international market. Even when the rate of inflation does not decrease substantially, conditions for the development of a lagoon and aquaculture integrated system are still. in comparison with other countries of the region, very favourable.
