FACTORS AFFECTING THE DECISION PROCESS OF CATFISH CONSUMERS: AN EMPIRICAL STUDY IN THE TWO BIGGEST CITIES IN VIETNAM

The consumption of catfish in Vietnam has not grown enough to match their increased production. The objective of this study is to explore the factors that influence the decision process of catfish consumers in Vietnam. The findings provide information for the Vietnamese catfish industry to better attract more domestic consumers to eat catfish. This study seeks to address its objective by examining the relationships that exist between the experiences, perceptions of product attributes, preference, market constraints, and consumption levels of consumers for catfish products. Data collected in the two biggest cities in Vietnam is analyzed by using multivariate techniques based on a partially-recursive model. Factors such as age, region, ease of preparation, perceptions of catfish taste, odour, and fat along with beliefs that catfish are safe and inexpensive are found to significantly influence the decision-making process