Research Article Open Access Omar et al., Int J Econ Manag Sci 2015, 4:2 http://dx.doi.org/10.4172/2162-6359.1000223 Research Article Open Access International Journal of Economics & Management Sciences Volume 4 • Issue 2 • 1000223 Int J Econ Manag Sci ISSN: 2162-6359 IJEMS, an open access journal Marketing System, Seasonal Price Variation and Market Integration of Hilsha (Tenualosa Ilisha) Fish in Some Selected Areas of Bangladesh Md. Imran Omar 1 *, Umme Aymon Janifa 2 , Md. Ashraful Islam 3 , and Md. Fakrul Islam 4 , Mohammad Azharul Alam 4 1 Scientifc Offcer, Agricultural Economics Division, Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute, Joydevpur, Gazipur-1701. Bangladesh, India 2 M.S Student, Department of Aquaculture, Faculty of Fisheries, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh-2202, Bangladesh, India 3 Assistant Professor, Department of Dairy and Poultry Science, Patuakhali Science and Technology University, Bangladesh, India 4 Lecturer, Department of Fisheries Management and Lecturer, Department of Fisheries Biology and Genetics, Sheikh Fajilatunnesa Mujib Fisheries College, Melandah, Jamalpur, Bangladesh, India Keywords: Engle granger co-integration; Market integration; Marketing system; Price behavior; Hilsha; Chandpur Introduction Hilsa shad, one of the most important tropical fsh of the family clupeidae under the genus Tenualosa and species ilisha is anadromous in nature, not a common phenomenon in tropical water compared to temperate and arctic regions, lives in the sea for most of its life, but migrates at least 1,200 km up in some river system in Indian sub-continent for spawning behavior. Distances of 50-100 km are more typical in Bangladesh.Hilsa shad contributing 30% of total fsh production of Bangladesh, and about 40% fshermen or 2% of total population of the country earn their livelihood depending on Hilsa fshery directly or indirectly. Terefore economic contribution from this single species of fsh is very high, in an agricultural based country like Bangladesh. Large number of diferent types of water bodies both inland and marine makes Bangladesh one of the most suitable countries of the world for freshwater aquaculture. Te freshwater inland aquaculture production in Bangladesh is the second highest in the world afer China [1]. Te total annual fsh production is estimated at 2.90 million tonnes in 2009-10 (Bangladesh fscal year: 1 July-30 June), of which 1.35 million tonnes (46.62%) are obtained from inland aquaculture, 1.02 million tonnes (35.53%) from inland capture fsheries, and 0.52 million tonnes (17.85%) from marine fsheries [2]. Te main production systems for freshwater aquaculture in Bangladesh are extensive and semi-intensive pond poly-culture of Indian major carps and exotic carps, which account for 80% of the total freshwater aquaculture production. Te remaining 20% are mainly from catfsh, tilapia, small indigenous fsh and rice-fsh farming [3]. Presently, 1.4 million people are engaged full time and 12 million as part time in fsheries sector in the country for livelihood and trade. Another 3.08 million fsh and shrimp farmers are cultivating fsh both at subsistence and commercial level. In Bangladesh, fsh farming is currently one of the most important sectors of the national economy. Within the overall agro-based economy of the country, the contribution of fsh production has been considered to hold good promise for creating jobs, earning foreign currency and supplying protein. About 97% of the inland fsh production is marketed internally for domestic consumption while the remaining 3% is exported [4]. A large number of people, many of whom living below the poverty line, fnd employment in the domestic fsh marketing chain in the form of farmers, processors, traders, intermediaries, day laborers and transporters [1,5,6]. Traditionally, people of Bangladesh like to eat fresh fsh. However, chilled and dried fsh are also marketed currently in large quantities in the towns and cities. Utilization and marketing distribution of fsh is around 70% fresh fsh, 25% dried, and the other forms of locally processed fsh include fermented products and frozen products [7]. Te export market of value added products is highly competitive, involving changes in type of products, forms and packaging as well as consumer behavior. Export of fsh, shrimp and other fshery products were considered as non-conventional items before the independence of the country. It has increased many-folds during the last decades and the country is earning foreign exchange to minimize the trade gap. In this case the dried coastal and marine fsh, the marine fnfsh and organism even other than fsh, could be on the top of the list of export earning items. Bangladesh exported fsh and fsheries products worth Taka 32,106 million in 2009-10 of which frozen fsh and shrimp shared more than 90% of the total exports of the fshery products and attained 3.7% of total export earnings of Bangladesh [8]. Since fsh production in Bangladesh is increasing over the years, its disposal pattern is very important as growers, wholesalers, retailers and consumers- all are afected due to value addition in the marketing process. For the sustainability of these stakeholders, fsh marketing studies are very necessary. Tus, the present study is conducted to examine the fsh marketing system, supply chain and value addition to determine the pulling factors for enhancing production, processing and marketing of diferent species of fshes in Bangladesh. Te specifc objectives of the study were to examine the existing marketing system of Hilsha fsh, to examine cost and margins Abstract A study was undertaken to examine the marketing system and price behavior of Hilsha fsh in selected areas of Chandpur district of Bangladesh during the month of March-April 2012. The objectives of the study were to estimate costs and margins, seasonal price variation and to test market integration of Hilsha fsh. Primary and secondary data were used for this study. The higher marketing cost was incurred by aratdars and the lowest by retailer. On the other hand, retailers earned the highest net marketing margins. Analysis of market integration shows that Hilsha fsh market in Bangladesh was well integrated. The fndings of the study revealed that the marketing of Hilsha was a proftable business and some recommendations were provided for the improvement of Hilsha marketing in the country. *Corresponding author: Md. Imran Omar, Scientifc Offcer, Agricultural Economics Division, Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute, Joydevpur, Gazipur-1701, Bangladesh; Tel: 08801734128910; E-mail: imran238bau@gmail.com Received December 06, 2014; Accepted January 20, 2015; Published February 30, 2015 Citation: Omar I, Janifa UA, Islam A, Islam F, Alam MA (2015) Marketing System, Seasonal Price Variation and Market Integration of Hilsha (Tenualosa Ilisha) Fish in Some Selected Areas of Bangladesh. Int J Econ Manag Sci 4: 223. doi: 10.4172/2162-6359.1000223 Copyright: © 2015 Omar I, et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.