J. Bangladesh Agril. Univ. 4(1): 173-182, 2006 ISSN 1810-3030 Marketing system and price behaviour of pond fish in .some selected areas of Mymensingh M.R. Islam', M.A. Feardous2, M.R. Hasan3 1 2 & Department of Rural Sociology, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh 3 Department of Cooperation and Marketing, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh Abstract This paper attempts to analyze the marketing system, cost and margins and price behaviour of cultured fish in Mymensingh district. Through purposive sampling technique data were collected from 50 Pondfish farmers, 20 Aratder, 20 .Paiker and 18 Retailer under Trisha! and Phulpur upazilps of Mymensingh district. Price data were collected from secondary source of weekly statistical bulletin of Department of Agriculture Marketing. The study demonstrated that most of the pondfish farmers and intermediaries were illiterate or had little education. Per acre variable cost, gross return and gross margin of the selected pondfish farmers were Tk. 86842.66, Tk.147e08.99 and Tk. 60766.33 respectively. The total marketing cost of Aratder, Paiker and Retailer were Tk. 96.96, Tk. 242.8 and Tk. 75.39 per quintal of fish respectively, while species wise average net margin were Tk. 321.81, Tk. 441.28 and Tk. 598.44 per quintal respectively and Retailer earned the highest margin for common fishes, particularly for Rui, Katla, Kalbaus and Tilapia fishes. The seasonal price variation was not so high and it ranged from maximum 10 to 15 taka. The pondfish farmers and different intermediaries identified some problems and constraints and they also suggested possible steps and measures to make the fish production and business more profitable and sustainable. Keywords: Marketing System, Cost and Margin and Price Behavior Introduction Fish and rice are the principal food items of the people of Bangladesh. Most of the people in the country depend on fish as the main source of protein. Fish, which is rich in high quality protein and essential minerals, is nutritionally equivalent to meat. The minimum per capita per day protein requirement, as per climatic condition of Bangladesh, has been estimated at 45.3 gm of which 15 gm should be animal origin and fish constitutes about 80 per cent of the total protein intake (Rahman et at1992, p.1). Fish alone, supplies about 60 per cent of animal protein (FFYP, 1998, P.248). The fisheries sector is also very important in the economy of Bangladesh and it plays a vital role in terms of providing nutrition, employment and foreigh exchange earnings. It has been estimated that about 1.3 million people are directly employed in this sector as well as about 12 million people indirectly earn their livelihood from fisheries related activities (Islam, 2000,p-69). Realizing the importance of fisheries. sector, steps are being taken in Bangladesh to increase production, but little emphasis has been given to improve the existing fish marketing system. During .the fishing season, a huge quantity of fish is not marketed and is wasted due to inadequate transportation facilities, lack of proper storage and preservation facilities on a large scale. So, the study of marketing of .cultured fishes is of crying need to identify the marketing problem. Therefore, the present study would be able to identify, particularly the marketing system, channels, functions and basic problems in the marketing of pond fish or cultured fish in Mymensingh. The study. will also make recommendations and suggestions to improve the organization and operation of cultured fish marketing system. On the basis of the forgoing discussions, the present study was undertaken with the objectives of determining: 174 Marketing system, cost, margin and price behaviour of pond fish • the socioeconomic characteristics of pond fish producers and intermediaries; .• the existing marketing system and the cost and margin at different stages of cultured fish marketing; and • the seasonal price behavior of cultured fish. Finally, this study will also provide *some useful information to fish farmers, traders, consumers and policy makers to formulate programs and policies related to the pond fish production and marketing. Materials and Methods The study was conducted in Trisha! and Phulpur upazila of Mymensingh district. Initially, purposive sampling technique was used to meet the objective of the study; the total sample size was 108 where fish farmers, aratdar, paiker and retailer were included. Then, the primary. data were collected from 50 pond fish farmers, 20 aratdar, 20 paiker and 18 retailers of both Trisha! and Phulpur upazilas. Price data were collected from secondary sources. Five years weekly price data for two different fishes of Mymensingh markets were collected from the Department of Agricultural Marketing (DAM). The instruments used for collecting primary information of the study included a structured questionnaire and informal interview. The questionnaire included both closed and open-ended questions, which were prepared keeping the objectives of the study in view. This was pre-tested before using it for final data collection. The data collection process took place during 12 November to 30 December 2004. Finally, the collected data were summarized, tabulated and analyzed in accordance with the objectives of the study. Results and Discussion Socio-economic characteristics of pondfish farmers and different intermediaries Level of Education: Education plays vital role in cultured fish production because educated farmer can take rational decisions regarding production and marketing system. The following table shows that only.10 percent farmers were in graduate level, while the corresponding percentage of Paiker, Aratdar and Retailer were zero: Occupational status: Occupation is an important indicator of socio-economic status. It is observed from the table that 80 per cent respondents' main occupation was fish culture and the remaining percentage (20%) was involved in agriculture and business as their main occupation but they were indirectly involved in fish production. A close look of the table shows that most of the intermediaries were involved in fish selling and marketing and their percentages were 90, 100 and 88.89 of Paiker, Aratdar and Retailer respectively and the rest of the Paiker and Retailer were related with this business indirectly. Annual income: It is observed form the table that 70 per cent of the pondfish,farmer earned more than Taka one lakh annually, while the corresponding percentages of Paiker, Aratdilr and Reatiler was 0.0, 25 and 16.66 respectively. It is also observed, form the table that most of the intermediaries earned annual income. less than Taka one lakh each. Islam et al. 175 Table 1. Socio economic profile Socio-economic Pondfish farmers Paiker Aratdar . Retailer profile No % No % No % No % Level of Education Illiterate 5 10 15 75 - - _ 12 66.67 Primary 10 20 5 25 10 50 _ 3 16.66 Secondary 25 50 5 25 r 1 5.56 Higher Secondary 5 10 , - - 5 25 2 11.11 Graduate 5 10 - • - - - - - Occupational status Fish culture 40 80 - .. - - - - Fish seller - - , 18 90 20 100 16 88.89 - . Agriculture 8 16 • 2 10 - - 2 11.11 Business 2 4 - - - - - - Annual Income Upto 50000 10 20 . 15 75 - - 3 16.67 50001-100000 , 5 10 5 25 15 75 12 66.67 100001-500000 • 20 40 - - 5 25 3 16.66 5000001- Above 15 30 . - .. .. - - - Experience in fish culture ancf Selling • 0-5 30 .. 60 . , 15 75 15 75 - - 5-10 16 "32 3 15 3 15 15 83.34 10-Above 4., . 8 2 10 2 10 3 16.66 Source: Field Survey Experience in fish culture and selling: Experience in fish culture and selling is an important social characteristic, which indicates success and sustainability of fish production and proper marketing. It is observed from the table that 60 per cent pondfish farmer had less than five years experience of fish production, whereas 75 per cent of both Paiker and Aratdar had same experience of selling and marketing fish, but Retailer had much more experience in this regard. Cost and return of pond fish culture Two types of cost are significant in analyzing gross margin, which is related to pond fish production, i.e. material input cost and human labor cost commonly known as variable cost. The selected fish species for which cost and return analysis was done included Rui, Katla, Mrigal, Kalbaus, Grass Carp, Silver Carp, Pungus Tilapia Carpio, Shar Puti and Indigenous fish. Table 2 shows that material input cost consists of manure cost, cow dung, urea, TSP, lime, rice bran, rice polish, mustard oil cake, fish meal, ready feed, fingerlings, irrigation/fuel, medicine, electricity, transportation and green grass. Among input material cost of rice bran was fouhd to be the highest amounting Tk. 14796.53 per acre. In the study area, human labor j is needed for re-excavation, re-construction of bund, feeding and compost, stocking of fish seed, water moving, insecticide applications, weeding, fish harvesting and netting. Among the human labor cost feeding and compost bear the highest cost amounting Tk. 8106.69 per acre. It is found from the table that total variable cost of pond fish production was Tk. 86842.6.6 per acre. 176 Marketing system, cost, margin and price behaviour of pond fish Table 2. Per acre material input cost and Human labor cost for pond fish production of selected species Items Cost (Tk./ acre) , Material input cost _ Manure 776.46 Cow dung 698.40 _ Urea . 930.90 TSP 1031.84 , Lime _ 1111.19 Rice Bran 14796.53 Rice Polish , ' 973.60 , Mustard Oil Cake 9765.69 , Fish Meal 10156.68 Ready Feed 5659.50 Fingerlings 10207.32 Irrigation/Fuel 2281.79 Medicine 724.39 Electricity 18:73.14 Transportation . 3430.94 Green Grass 176.06 Miscellaneous 1497.08, Human labor cost . Re-excavation of ponds 5021.98 Re-construction of Bund 1545.62 Feeding and Compost 8106.69 Stocking of Fish Seed .