The Workshop reviewed the most important aspects of marketing and processing, which have to be considered in aquaculture development plans in order to ensure adequate prices for the farmer and efficient distribution to the consumer.
It is important that marketing requirements and demand potentials are clearly determined in the planning phase of aquaculture development programmes. In the African regions, particularly in the countries participating in the Workshop, there does not seem to be any great difficulty in selling additional quantities of fish from new aquaculture ventures, particularly if harvesting can be done mainly during the off-season for other fisheries. Demand for fish is generally strong and exceeds supplies in most areas. In many inland districts, freshwater fish enjoys high consumer demand, although there are preferences for some species, sizes and products.
Large-scale expansion programmes will, however, generate supplies for which the market will have to be identified in the planning phase. The information required will usually be obtained by a consumer demand survey, a cross-section analysis of consumption patterns, of buying and eating habits, of consumer appreciation of cultivated fish and shellfish and of their competitive position within consumers' demand pattern for protein food of animal origin, including assessment of the effects of incomes and prices.
The Workshop considered the inadequacy or complete lack of preservation, storage and transport facilities, to be a possible bottleneck in the future, particularly in rural areas, The provision of such infrastructure should therefore be included in the aquaculture development plan, unless the requirements of aquaculture enterprises were taken into consideration in the general fish marketing development schemes of the country.
The aquaculture development programme should include an analysis of existing marketing structures and the additional requirements created by expansion projects, such as wholesale and retail sales points, transport, storage and ice-making facilities, containers and processing facilities. The marketing structure analysis should also take account of the present and future volume of fish distributed, and include cost estimates and details of financing any necessary modification of the marketing system.
The Workshop noted that farmed fish production may be mainly for: (a) home and/or village consumption; (b) supplying a nearby consumer centre; (c) supplying distant consumer centres; or (d) export markets.
The marketing and processing aspects assume quite different proportions in each of these alternatives, but in most African countries (a) and (b) were more relevant. The marketing problems under such circumstances would be relatively easily solved, as long as harvesting patterns are established in accordance with effective consumer demand (periods of cash incomes) and appropriate arrangements are made for delivery of fish to the retail trade, storage and, if required, processing. It was noted that some countries had established, or were considering the establishment of, special marketing organizations (marketing corporations or marketing boards) for aquaculture products and/or other fish products. Production and marketing costs have to be kept at levels which would keep prices within reach of the lower income groups, particularly in rural areas. In some areas it may be desirable to reserve part of the aquaculture production for local sale, if necessary at subsidized prices.
Promotional efforts and consumer education may be required where unknown species or new product forms were to be introduced. As regards processing in rural areas, preference should be given to traditional methods of drying and smoking, and upgrading product qualities wherever possible.
Aquaculture production for supplying distant markets may be of some importance in certain isolated areas where suitable sites exist. While there may be over-riding considerations for locating aquafarms in isolated areas, a detailed investigation of the logistics and costs of marketing the production may, in this case, well decide against establishment of the venture. The social benefits of aquaculture ventures sited in dispersed locations have to be evaluated against the economic disadvantages, and often the latter would favour concentration of fish farms in strategically advantageous locations, enabling economies of scale in harvesting, processing and distribution, as well as greater influence on market prices, A thorough assessment of investment requirements in processing and marketing facilities is essential in such ventures and the integration of the secondary and tertiary sectors with the production programme should be seriously considered.
Export-oriented ventures in Africa relate primarily to existing or planned programmes for trout farming and oyster and shrimp culture. Processing is usually involved in these ventures and relevant facilities have to be planned to ensure maximum utilization. Vertical integration of production, processing and marketing, either on a corporate or on a cooperative basis is usually a necessity to ensure full control over all the facets. Product specifications and quality standards stipulated in the recipient country have to be strictly adhered to. This is usually difficult to achieve in small-scale operations scattered over wide areas as contemplated in some countries; large-scale production organized on an industrial basis is therefore often the only way to ensure the efficiency required to compete on the international market.
Export-oriented aquaculture ventures should be based on a thorough appraisal of export potential which would cover the selection of products and markets, export procedures and provisions to achieve adequate quality standards and regularity of supplies. This could be greatly facilitated by an effective international information system on fishery commodity markets.
