Marketing Strategies of PL (Macrobrachium rosenbergii and Penaeus monodon) in Different Hatcheries in South West Region of Bangladesh

Abstract

An investigation was carried out on the marketing strategy of PL (Macrobrachium rosenbergii and Penaeus monodon) in different hatcheries in August to November 2008. Data was collected from 25 hatcheries including 5 hatcheries in Bagerhat, 5 hatcheries in Khulna, 1 hatchery in Jessore and 14 hatcheries in Satkhira region. Among the hatcheries 15 hatcheries produced only galda PL, 10 hatcheries produced both galda and bagda PL. At first, they selected their marketing area. Most of the hatcheries collected mother shrimp from Sundarban, Jaimuni, Sharonkhola and Poshur River. Hatchery produced seed were available between March to September. Among the surveyed hatcheries, 4 hatcheries used marketing officer for publicity, 6 hatcheries organized public meeting in marketing area, 6 hatcheries organized miking system before production, 16 hatcheries advertised in newspapers. All of them used Posters and three hatcheries supplied leaflets in the marketing area. 2 hatcheries gave technical support to the farmers who had bought PL from them. The price of PL was varied time to time. They sold PL to the depots or farmers through commission agent by giving them 4-5% commission. 6 hatcheries of Satkhira had sub-offices also for marketing. 5 hatcheries stocked PL in nursery, which were not sold in PL stage. 3 hatcheries recently started 5-10% direct commissioning system to the farmers. They also cheated with the farmers by selling through [arias as natural fry. New hatcheries started sell on credit system for marketing .The strong belief in the farmers that the mortality rate was high in hatchery PL and growth rate was low in hatchery PL were the main problems for hatchery marketing. Moreover, imbalance between production and demand, entrance of Indian PL through black market, natural disaster such as- droughts, lack of skilled manpower, lack of credit facilities, lack of transportation systems were also the problems for PL marketing. So, to improve the marketing system these problems should be overcome.