Marketing systems of freshwater prawns in three coastal districts of Bangladesh

ABSTRACT

The present study analyzes the prawn marketing chain before and after the implementation of a Danish-funded project (GNAEP) in three coastal districts of greater Noakhali, southeast region of Bangladesh. The results reveal that, before GNAEP, there was a longer prawn marketing chain with a number of intermediaries who used to share a considerable amount of market margin. However, after implementation of GNAEP, the prawn marketing chain has become shorter with a significant reduction of intermediaries which facilitates direct selling of prawns to processing plants through local Community Based Organizations (CBOs). The present prawn marketing system in the regions is in favor of prawn farmers. Farmers have greater advantages because 1) CBOs provide reasonable market price and actual weight, 2) CBOs can bargain with processing plants as the former are aware of the latest international market prices through Marketing Information System 3) number of intermediaries is lowered and 4) transport and preservation costs are reduced. The displaced intermediaries, some of whom are powerful persons in the society, have again started to influence the prawn market in different ways. This fact has opened up another discussion on how the power structure is shifting in this region and how they are affecting prawn marketing.

KEYWORDS:

• Bangladesh
• coastal districts
• marketing
• prawn
• value chain

Acknowledgments

Dr. Harvey Demaine, Technical Advisor, GNAEP deserves special thanks for his support during reconnaissance visit and for his help in preparing the questionnaire. We especially want to thank Mr. Reshad Alam, Mr. Masud Rana, Mr. Din Mohd. Mohsin and Mr. Tareq of GNAEP for their help in guiding and showing us their project sites where we have done our field study.