Fish Price Determination Around Lake Victoria, Tanzania: Analysis of Factors Affecting Fish Landing Price

Abstract

Determination of fish landing price is important, as the same contributes to the structure, conduct and performance of the fish market in Lake Victoria. Determination of relevant landing price is a gap to console between fishermen, agents (middlemen), processors and the government. The main objective of this study was therefore to examine fish price determination. Specifically, to examine the methods for fish price determination and analyse factors that affect fish landing price in Lake Victoria, a cross-sectional design was employed, and 300 respondents were randomly selected from two district councils, namely, Sengerema and Buchosa. Both qualitative and quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics and inferential analysis. Findings show that landing price is determined through formal negotiation with processors, consultation with other traders, informal negotiation with buyers and Beach Management Unit (BMU). The study concluded that these are the common methods used to determine landing prices. Also, distance from fishing to onshore landing centres, market information channels, age and experiences of the fishermen are the factors significantly found affecting landing price. It is recommended that the mechanism for setting up fishery price, fish market structure, fishery information and the formation of fishery regulatory body needs fishery policy and sector reforms that mark the determination of fish landing price.

Fish availability and market channel in Rajbari, Bangladesh

“…In the landing center or the wholesale market, the traders predominantly took care of landing, handling, and post-landing tasks including cleaning, sorting, grading and icing of fishes ( Ahmed et al., 2012 ). The price of marine fishes depends on several factors such as distance to onshore, distance to the market, number of buyers at onshore, market channel, season, transport cost per vessel ( Sambuo et al., 2021 ). In Bangladesh, there are 7 major wholesale markets of processed fish products and from those wholesale markets, most of the products are supplied throughout the country ( Hossain et al., 2013 ).…”

“…So, it is very important for the marketer to pick which route or channel is ideal for fish and products flow maintaining the quality and affordable price. Thus, determining the appropriate prices and market margins in the fish marketing channel will help to establish sustainable market policies ensuring a balanced profit margin for producers and all the intermediaries linked with the marketing system ( Kaygisiz and Eken, 2018 ; Kamaylo et al., 2021 ; Sambuo et al., 2021 ).…”

Drivers of smoked marine fish prices and challenges along the value chain

“…A related study by Alhassan et al (2012) emphasize that smoked marine fish is more expensive than frozen fish in the Tamale Metropolis of Ghana due to the additional cost incurred in using fuelwood and labor as well as packaging related costs. A recent study by Sambuo (2021) on determinants of fish landing price around Lake Victoria in Tanzania identifies the age and experience of fishermen, market information channels, and distance from fishing to onshore landing centers are key drivers of landing price. It is evident from the literature review that studies on smoked fish price determination particularly along the value chain have not been given the needed research attention in sub-Saharan Africa where overall fish consumption is considered lower than the global average (ECOWAS Commission, 2020).…”

Impact of stock health on fish prices: Evaluation and implications for food accessibility

“…The present study also contributes to the fish price literature by adding a new kind of variable to price modelling. As exposed in the introduction, price models use a wide range of variables like quantities [8][9][10], type of gear [9,11] or consumer preferences [14,15], among others. prior authors who used ecological-related variables in economic models [18], we propose and successfully test the addition of biological variables that reflect the sustainability of the stock, by adding them to a price model that depends upon quantities.…”

“…Price models often include variables like market quantity [ 8 – 10 ], type of gear [ 9 , 11 ], processing level [ 11 ], whether the product is fresh or frozen [ 12 ], quality [ 11 , 13 ], fish characteristics, seasonality [ 14 ], buyers preferences [ 14 , 15 ], or whether the species is a luxury one, in which case it will be influenced by seasonality and economic cycles [ 8 ]. Our proposal in this paper is to build a price model that includes a variable that reflects the sustainability of the exploitation of a fishery.…”