Assessing Demand Drivers in Augmenting Fish Consumption in Ernakulam

Objectives: Assessing the fish consumption pattern, with special focus on analysing the trends and pattern of fish consumption and to identify the factors that drives people for fish consumption. Methods/Statistical analysis: The primary statistical tool of percentage analysis, conjoint analysis, Garrette ranking etc. have been carried out to assess various parameters of the study. One of the major analyses such as conjoint analysis and preference assessment index methods are carried out to find out the consumer preferences and pattern of fish consumption among the respondents. Findings/Application: The study points out that the average monthly income of the respondents has a very good role on the fish consumption as about 38% of the income is used for purchasing fish. 54.2% of the total respondents were purchasing fish on a daily basis and about 72% of the respondents depend on the retail centres for purchasing fish. Conjoint analysis results indicates that the optimum fish quality set, which provides the consumers with optimum benefit is the variety of fish from the retail fish markets which are highly fresh and good quality. Mackerel remains the most preferred fish with a high score of 0.577 followed by Sardine 0.561 in the preference index analysis and it has been found that the highest preference index is given for the availability of the fish species. Despite of any income group there exists a high uniformity between the respondents in buying mackerel as well as sardine. From Garrette ranking technique for constraints in fish consumption found that lack of fresh fish, high price and irregular supply as the major constraints for fish consumption