This paper attempts to explore the possibilities of production and marketing of valueadded fish products based on the consumption and preference patterns of consumers in Assam. The study revealed that the percentage of respondents opting for ready-to-eat fish is more in urban areas than rural areas. About 41% of respondents were willing to pay up to 20% extra for ready-to-eat fish. Non-availability, lack of awareness, not having tasted the product yet, disliking the taste and fear of presence of intramuscular bones were stated as the reasons for not taking or less eating of ready-to-eat fish. Out of the different fish recipies/fish products, fish curry and fried fish were found to be more popular among the eating joints. A majority of the managers/owners of eating joints opined that there is a probability of utilizing low-valued fish like grass carp, silver carp, common carp, etc. for preparation of value-added fish products. The problems associated with producing and selling value-added fish products, as perceived by eating joints, were: less demand, non-availability of suitable varieties, irregular supply of suitable variety of fish, high cost of suitable varieties of fish, non-availability of boneless fish like boneless chicken, etc. The study suggests some strategies which would help the planners, policy makers and farmers in decision making for need-based fish production and efficient fish marketing for improving the production and marketing of value-added fish and fish products in the state.

In order to sustain fish farming as a profitable venture, value addition is very essential. Value addition implies processing of the end product or addition of ingredients which increases the acceptability of the product in terms of either convenience or increase in shelf life. A broad definition of value addition is to economically add value to a product by changing its current place, time, or form in conformation with market preference (Coltrain et al., 2002). According to the requirements of different markets, value can be added ranging from live fish to ready-to-serve convenience products such as fish fingers, fish burgers, fish cake, fish balls, fish steaks, fish silage, de-boned fish, cured fish, frozen fish, etc. Sharma and Sharma (2006) reported that value addition includes different aspects under different national backgrounds. In a poor country, even icing of fresh fish is a high level of value addition. In general, value-added food products are raw and preprocessed commodities whose value has been increased through the addition of ingredients and processes that make them more attractive to the buyer and/or more readily usable by the consumer. It is a production and marketing strategy driven by customer needs and perceptions. Value addition is the most important aspect of food processing industry, particularly in export-oriented fish processing industry because of increased realization of valuable foreign exchange.

Under the modern marketing concept, consumer is the fulcrum around which the entire marketing activities revolve (Santhakumar and Sanjeeviraj, 2000). The analysis of the consumers’ behavior in terms of consumption patterns, consumer preferences, consumption motivation, consumer buying process and shopping behavior is a helpful parameter to formulate a firm’s marketing strategy (Reddy, 2011). Shaw (1986) reported that for any business which wishes to exchange its products with customers for money or other goods, the customers’ requirements have to be understood and the products which meet these requirements should be offered. Understanding consumer motivations and knowing the relative importance of various criteria for different consumer groups are essential for the development and promotion of local products. The development of attractive and convenient processed foods from local staples combined with active commercial marketing can succeed in increasing the urban demand of such domestically produced foods. Thus, in addition to the aspects of production, efforts in processing, marketing and distribution need adequate emphasis. Unless local food production and distribution systems are able to cope with and adapt to this growing and changing food demand, market tensions shall grow or countries’ reliance on imported foods shall increase (Delisle, 1990).

Marketing Management Journal, Marketing Value-Added Fish, Fish Products in Assam, Fish Fingers, Fish Burgers, Fish Cake, Fish Balls, Fish Steaks, Fish Silage, De-boned Fish, Cured Fish, Frozen Fish.