The public sector has important roles to play in fish marketing development. Various institutions have been involved in the development of the fisheries sector as well as the fisheries market development. The following paragraphs describe major functions and responsibilities of institutions related to fish marketing development.
Market planning and regulations
Market planning was mostly executed by MOFI, which determines goals, objectives and action programmes for fisheries production, accessibility and consumption over periods of time.
Market management
The Ministry of Trade (MOT) handles market management. Since the inception of trade liberalization in the domestic market, the market management was mostly implemented by the Department of Trade (DOT) at provincial level under the provincial or city’s People’s Committees. The DOT regulates and supervises operations of wholesalers, retailers networks and market networks in their designated administration area. The DOT is responsible for market planning, market infrastructure improvement, and market maintenance.
TABLE 75
Accessibility of consumers to fish traders by
areas of residence
|
Area of residence |
No of traders accessed1 |
Total |
|||||||
|
Farmers |
Fisher folk |
WH |
PR |
Retailers |
SP |
Others |
|||
|
Cities |
Mean |
3.3 |
2.8 |
2.42 |
1.6 |
4.8 |
3.1 |
|
5.6 |
|
N |
12 |
8 |
57 |
12 |
362 |
72 |
|
364 4 |
|
|
Median |
3.0 |
2.0 |
2.00 |
2.0 |
3.5 |
1.0 |
|
.00 |
|
|
% of total |
25.5 |
28.6 |
57.0 |
85.7 |
57.7 |
88.9 |
|
59.2 |
|
|
Suburbs |
Mean |
3.0 |
16.0 |
3.5 |
2.5 |
6.9 |
1.2 |
1.0 |
7.0 |
|
N |
5 |
7 |
16 |
2 |
144 |
9 |
1 |
141 |
|
|
Median |
1.00 |
3.00 |
1.50 |
2.50 |
4.00 |
1.00 |
1.00 |
4.00 |
|
|
% of total |
10.6 |
25.0 |
16.0 |
14.3 |
23.0 |
11.1 |
100.0 |
22.9 |
|
|
Rural |
Mean |
1.6 |
1.4 |
1.6 |
|
6.2 |
|
|
6.6 |
|
N |
30 |
13 |
27 |
|
121 |
|
|
110 |
|
|
Median |
1.0 |
1.0 |
2.0 |
|
3.0 |
|
|
4.0 |
|
|
% of total |
63.8 |
46.4 |
27.0 |
|
19.3 |
|
|
17.9 |
|
|
Total |
Mean |
2.2 |
5.4 |
2.4 |
1.7 |
5.5 |
2.9 |
1.0 |
6.1 |
|
N |
47 |
28 |
100 |
14 |
627 |
81 |
1 |
615 |
|
|
Median |
1.0 |
1.5 |
2.0 |
2.0 |
3.0 |
1.0 |
1.0 |
4.0 |
|
|
% of total |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
|
1 WH: Wholesalers, PR: Processors, SP: Supermarket.
TABLE 76
Proportions of fish purchased from retailers by
areas of residence
|
Range (%) |
Area of residence |
Total |
|||
|
Cities |
Suburbs |
Rural |
|||
|
<25 |
Count |
9 |
2 |
1 |
12 |
|
% |
2.5 |
1.4 |
0.8 |
1.9 |
|
|
25-50 |
Count |
19 |
11 |
3 |
33 |
|
% |
5.2 |
7.6 |
2.5 |
5.2 |
|
|
50-75 |
Count |
33 |
6 |
27 |
66 |
|
% |
9.1 |
4.2 |
22.1 |
10.5 |
|
|
>75 |
Count |
303 |
125 |
91 |
519 |
|
% |
83.2 |
86.8 |
74.6 |
82.4 |
|
|
Total |
Count |
364 |
144 |
122 |
630 |
|
% |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
|
TABLE 77
Criteria to select fish suppliers by consumers
by areas of residence
|
Criteria |
Area of residence |
Total |
|||
|
Cities |
Suburbs |
Rural |
|||
|
Reasonable price |
Count |
110 |
28 |
36 |
174 |
|
% |
29.8 |
19.0 |
29.5 |
27.3 |
|
|
Quality assurance |
Count |
101 |
44 |
22 |
167 |
|
% |
27.4 |
29.9 |
18.0 |
26.2 |
|
|
Stable supply sources |
Count |
12 |
9 |
9 |
30 |
|
% |
3.3 |
6.1 |
7.4 |
4.7 |
|
|
Closed relationship |
Count |
14 |
4 |
14 |
32 |
|
% |
3.8 |
2.7 |
11.5 |
5.0 |
|
|
Relatives |
Count |
1 |
3 |
2 |
6 |
|
% |
0.3 |
2.0 |
1.6 |
0.9 |
|
|
Near by |
Count |
83 |
39 |
25 |
147 |
|
% |
22.5 |
26.5 |
20.5 |
23.0 |
|
|
Various products |
Count |
26 |
16 |
8 |
50 |
|
% |
7.0 |
10.9 |
6.6 |
7.8 |
|
|
In time delivery |
Count |
1 |
- |
- |
1 |
|
% |
0.3 |
- |
- |
0.2 |
|
|
Time saving |
Count |
8 |
3 |
2 |
13 |
|
% |
2.2 |
2.0 |
1.6 |
2.0 |
|
|
Trust/honest |
Count |
12 |
- |
3 |
15 |
|
% |
3.3 |
- |
2.5 |
2.4 |
|
|
Home delivery |
Count |
1 |
1 |
1 |
3 |
|
% |
0.3% |
0.7% |
0.8% |
0.5% |
|
|
Total |
Count |
369 |
147 |
122 |
638 |
|
% |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
|
TABLE 78
Method of payments by market operators
(%)
|
Payment method |
Aquaculturists |
Fisherfolk |
Wholesalers |
Processors |
|
In advance |
6.1 |
8.9 |
10.6 |
4.6 |
|
In kind |
0.6 |
3.1 |
0.6 |
- |
|
In cash |
84.6 |
89.3 |
85.8 |
68.5 |
|
Deferred |
20.3 |
22.3 |
28.8 |
18.5 |
|
Debt settling |
1.6 |
1.3 |
1.1 |
- |
|
LC |
- |
- |
- |
43.5 |
|
Cheque |
- |
- |
- |
12.0 |
|
Others |
0.3 |
0.4 |
- |
3.7 |
Market statistics
Under the Prime Minister’s Office, the country has a statistical system headed by the General Statistical Office (GSO), which has branches at provincial and district administrative levels. The GSO is responsible for keeping records of fisheries production, trade, and export. In addition, the GSO also traces demographic data of the sector, income level of various groups of population. However, data on prices, market transactions, accessibility and consumption of fisheries products are not available. Presently, the Fisheries Information Centre (FICEN) under the MOFI is keeping records of prices of some major groups of fisheries species at several locations in the country. The data are useful, however, since locations recorded are limited, it was difficult to make detailed cross analysis and comparisons.
Market certification
The National Quality Control Centre (NAQUAFICEN) is responsible for quality assurance at processing enterprises. It helps to affirm quality of fisheries products once they are produced largely for export. However, for products traded in the domestic market, the Ministry of Health is responsible for assurance of the product’s quality.
Market research and consultation
Various universities, institutes, international organizations, non-governmental organizations, have been involved in market research and development. A variety of studies on fish marketing were carried out by national research organizations. This project was one type of market research executed by FAO. VASEP is assisting national processors and exporters to better access international markets, promote export turnover and obtain hard currency for the industrialization and modernization process of the country.
The above paragraphs discussed the major functions of public sector on fish marketing. However, the functions are operated in a scattered manner. It is timely to develop a coordination mechanism so as to best respond to demand for market development of the industry.
