Development of Domestic Fish Marketing

The establishment of domestic markets plays a very crucial role in the development of fisheries sector in the country. Apart from ensuring nutritional and food security, it also helps in minimizing post-harvest losses, increase revenue, enhance employment opportunities and offers high standards of hygiene and sanitation leading to food safety. The importance of domestic marketing can be understood from the fact that only about 15% of the total fish landing is utilized for export of fishery products and the remaining about 85% is distributed through domestic markets. As more and more trade restrictions are being imposed on the fishery product exports, a well developed domestic marketing system only can ensure the viability of the fisheries sector.

About 70% of the fish catch is marketed fresh and the remaining is utilized in the form of processed, dried, smoked, reduced to fishmeal, etc. As per the available data, a majority of the total population consumes fish in the country with an average per capita consumption of 9 kg. However, the harvested fish is not evenly distributed to interior areas due to lack of transportation and non-availability of proper storage facilities. Therefore, there is a need for balanced system of distribution to make fish available in the interior areas at reasonable rates.

The fish produced in the country both from marine and inland sectors, is marketed domestically through a network of wholesale, major, minor retail, roadside markets, etc. The majority of domestic markets are unhygienic and the fish storing and handling facilities are poor. There is also a lack of proper transportation system including roads, refrigerated vehicles, etc. Availability of potable water, good quality ice, electricity, waste disposal system, etc. is inadequate. There is considerable time lag during the transportation of fish from the landing centre to the interior markets which results in poor quality of material leading to food borne diseases, nutritional and post harvest loss. The activities proposed under NFDB for development of domestic marketing are expected to significantly contribute in reducing post harvest losses, enhance revenue and also improve the hygienic and sanitary conditions in fish markets.

Components of Assistance

In the backdrop of the above, the following areas have been identified for the development of domestic fish marketing system in the country:

• Modernisation of wholesale markets
• Cold chains of hygienic retail outlets of varying levels
• Schemes under rural development for promoting women and weaker sections in domestic fish marketing

Eligibility criteria

Modernisation of wholesale markets

• State Fisheries Departments, Local civic bodies such as municipal corporations, Fishermen Cooperative Societies, NGOs dealing with fishers, State fisheries Corporations/State Fishermen federation.
• The NGOs applying for funding should have atleast 3 years track record in the concerned field and should be recommended by autonomous fisheries bodies of the concerned states as State fisheries corporation/ State fishermen federation.
• Modernisation of infrastructure will be provided at places where existing facilities require further development by way of construction and equipments
• The proposal should be viable for contributing to additional income and employment

Retail outlets

• State Fisheries Departments, Local civic bodies such as municipal corporations, State fisheries corporations/ state fishermen federation, Fishermen Cooperative Societies, SHGs, Corporate bodies and private entrepreneurs.
• The Corporate bodies / private entrepreneurs applying for funding should have at least 3 years track record in the concerned field and should be recommended by autonomous fisheries bodies of the concerned states as State Fisheries Corporation/ State fishermen federation.
• Private entrepreneurs/ Women entrepreneurs and persons belonging to weaker sections residing in rural area shall be required to submit their proposals only for setting up of retail outlets.
• Modernization of infrastructure will be provided at places where existing facilities require further development by way of construction and equipments
• The proposal should be viable for contributing to additional income and employment

Small scale retail units

• State fisheries corporations/ state fishermen federation, Fishermen Cooperative Societies, SHGs and private entrepreneurs should have proven track record and should be recommended by the respective state fisheries departments.

Pattern of Assistance

Source: National Fisheries Development Board