Fish Marketing Systems in Chitwan and Kathmandu

Abstract

In general fish farming was practiced in small scale in Nepal. So, small harvest from both capture/culture were found sold in the vicinity of the production centers. There existed strong competition between wet fishes of Nepal with Indian products. The fish from India was more consistent in size and supply, whereas the fish from Nepal was smaller in size but considered good quality and taste. A number of freshwater indigenous fish species of economic value Asla (Schizothorax spp.), Sahar (Tor spp.), Katle (Neolissocheilus hexagonolepis) and Bam (Anguilla spp.) from capture fisheries were popular as a delicacy and fetched much higher prices than any other cultured species in the country.

Fish marketing at present was not satisfactory with the limited production of fish. The fishes of Nepalese production are preserved in insulated thermo boxes together with the ice. Fish transportation system is very poor due practically no equipment for receiving, cooling for distribution and sales of fish. Post-harvest losses were recorded as high as 40 percent.

Various types of fishes and fish products were found sold in the markets - wet fish preserved in iced from India and Nepal, live fishes, dried/smoked fish, ornamental fish, fish fillets, canned fish (department stores), vacuum packed fishes (trout fish) etc. Promotion of fish products is still in very infant stage in Nepal; though fish had many good attributes like cheap animal protein, health food etc. Only sign board written fresh fish available was found kept in fresh fish sale market.