The Value Chain of Yellow Fin Tuna in Sri Lanka

The fishing industry is particularly important for Sri Lankans for the domestic supply but there is also a\ud small but growing export market for high value products. The potential for economic development lies\ud there with yellowfin tuna as the most important specie. In this research the efficiency and productivity of\ud the yellowfin tuna value chain in Sri Lanka was studied. The main method emphasis was on interviews\ud with value chain actors (primary data) but secondary data analysis was also used when available. The lack\ud of reliable secondary data from Sri Lanka fisheries made the use of primary data necessary. Interviews\ud were conducted from late 2007 until July 2008. The conclusion is that two different value chains are\ud characteristic for the Sri Lankan yellowfin tuna industry; the domestic market value chain and the export\ud market value chain. The local market is highly regulated and price oriented with low emphasis on quality.\ud The export market is characterized by demand for quality and high prices. It relies heavily on the landings\ud of foreign vessels. Additional emphasis on the export market could increase revenues of the sector but for\ud that structural changes are essential. The local vessels are generally too small and poorly equipped to\ud meet the quality requirements of the export market. For the local fleet there are considerable opportunities\ud for improving quality and reducing costs. Main obstacles are the lack of knowledge and unstructured flow\ud of information between fishermen and processors/exporters, as well as the lack of trust between actors