THE MARKETING MARGIN AND PROFIT STRUCTURE OF NINE COMMERCIALLY IMPORTANT MARINE FISH SPECIES IN THE SOUTHEAST COASTAL AREAS OF BANGLADESH

Marketing margins provide essential information regarding price transmission among agricultural marketing channels. The purpose of this study was to analyze the marketing margin and profit structure of nine commercially important marine fish species of Bangladesh. Data on marketing costs, buying and selling prices, marketing margins and profit, and total gross marketing margin were collected from the primary (landing center, Cox's Bazar), secondary (Kawran Bazar, Dhaka), and consumer markets (retail market, Cox's Bazar and Town Hall Market, Dhaka) from 1 January to 15 May 2022. The total gross market margin of the long-chain marketing system was higher than that of the short-chain marketing system because of high marketing costs, the aratdar commission, labor costs and the involvement of more intermediaries. The marketing margins of the secondary and consumer markets were comparatively high, whereas the highest marketing profit was observed in the consumer market. During 2001–2022, the total gross marketing margin was higher in the secondary market, with a sharp increase in marketing costs. The relatively high profitability of marine fishes in the consumer market always surpasses their profitability in the secondary and primary markets, though the marketing margin and profitability were species-specific. This research provides insight into marine fish marketing systems in Bangladesh.