Analysis of the determinants of fish consumption by households in Ghana

Abstract

A sample of 2,185 Ghanaian households from the GLSS6 was examined using a latent class model of structural heterogeneity in a linear regression framework to assess their fish consumption patterns. The results suggest that Ghanaian households fall into two consumption categories, namely “traditional” and “non-traditional” households, though there is some overlap between the two household groups. Demand for fish is price inelastic in traditional households and approximately unitary elastic in non-traditional households. In traditional households, fish is complementary to poultry but a substitute for red meat. Among non-traditional consumers, fish is complementary to poultry but a substitute for red meat and pork. While price is a major concern for traditional consumers, taste, diversity, health and nutrition are more important to non-traditional consumers. Traditional consumers are in the forest region while the non-traditional consumers are in the Savannah areas.