Global Journal of Fisheries Science

A study was conducted to analyse catfish marketing in the Kano metropolis of Kano, Nigeria. The objectives were to describe the socioeconomic characteristics of catfish marketers, estimate costs and returns from catfish marketing, describe the marketing structure, and assess constraints faced by catfish marketers in the study area. One hundred catfish marketers were sampled using a multistage random sampling technique, while data were gathered with the aid of a structured questionnaire. Descriptive statistics, gross margin analysis and mean scores computed from a Likert- type scale were used to analyse the data collected. The descriptive statistics indicated that 100 per cent of respondents were males with a mean age of 35years. Most of the respondents were married (69%), with formal education (57% had attained a secondary leaving certificate). Fish marketing was found to be the major source of income of respondents. Results from profitability analysis revealed that the purchase of fish constituted 88.9 per cent of the total marketing costs, followed by rent, which was 6.5 per cent, and transportation, 3.6 per cent. Average revenue of 357,239.75 naira was greater than average total marketing costs of 350,859.00 naira; hence, fish marketing generated a positive net return. A distribution-based coefficient of 0.3297 was obtained from the reported marketer-frequency classes; because the table does not contain sales shares, this value is interpreted only as a descriptive indicator of the distribution of marketers across sales classes, not as a direct measure of revenue inequality. The major constraints faced by marketers, which cut across more than 75% of respondents, were inflation (93%), inadequate capital (80%), price fluctuation (79%) and high marketing cost (76%). It was concluded that catfish marketing is profitable in Kano, but there is a need to redress inequalities in distribution, inadequate capital, and other constraints faced by marketers for more efficiency and welfare.