MARKET STUDY OF FRESHWATER FISHES IN DELHI’S GAZIPUR WHOLESALE FISH MARKET

The wholesale fish market at Gazipur is one of the largest regulated fish markets in India. Though a metropolis with populations from across India including coastal states, freshwater fishes dominate the Gazipur market (60%). The market has two types of major sources: fresh fishes come mainly from nearby states of Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Punjab while chilled / frozen fishes arrive mainly from Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat. Gazipur market in turn supplies fish to all the retail markets in the Delhi region including the major ones such as Chittaranjan Park and INA markets. The market has 252 wholesale shops and 70-80 retail stalls that handle about 100-150 tonnes/day. The study deals with the structure and conduct of the Gazipur wholesale fish market, assesses the price trends and consumption pattern, and finally forecasts the prices for the near future. Results show existence of two dominant marketing channels for major fresh water fishes namely Catla and Rohu.     

In channel 1, the fish farmer sells fish to commission agent-cum-wholesaler, who sell to the retailer, and finally sell to consumer. In channel 2, the fish farmer sells fish to commission agent-cum-wholesaler, who sell  to  the consumer. Price spread for Catla on Channel 1 (Rs. 29) was more than the channel 2 (Rs.14) (Table 1), indicating greater efficiency of the latter (5.4) due to few intermediaries. The marketing cost incurred by wholesalers and retailers are Rs 2.6 and Rs. 4.7 respectively. Income has been found to be the significant influence on fish consumption expenditure. Seasonality was found in price trends with prices peaking during the winter months (November-March) indicating greater demand and relatively lowers supply.

Forecasting analysis (ARIMA) has shown that the price of Rohu would remain almost constant at the present level till the 2019 summer at Rs.8995 / quintal while the Catla price is likely to increase marginally (<1 %). Lack of cold storage facilities and infrastructure for effective waste management to convert waste into valuable by-products viz., fish meals, fish oils etc. are the primary constraints found in the market.