Abstract
The past decades have exhibited changes in the consumption of fresh fish. In developing countries, factors affecting fish consumption are different between urban and rural households. This study comparatively analyses the disparity in demand for fresh fish between rural and urban households in Cameroon. Using random sampling, data on the weekly consumption of fresh fish were collected between April and May 2015; 30 households lived in rural localities while 30 lived in urban areas of Buea Municipality. Consumer’s income, the price of fresh fish, family size, gender and age of consumers represented parameters of interest. These were analyzed using the independent sample t-test. Results revealed that the availability, the income level and price affected fish consumption of rural dwellers while price, taste, income and affordability determined the consumption patterns of urban dwellers. The study equally revealed that the higher the price of fresh fish, the higher the demand for its closed substitutes and the higher the size of the household, the higher the quantity demanded. Gender, education and marital status did not affect the quantity demanded; family size and age negatively influenced consumers’ decision to buy while consumers’ income and price of fresh fish positively influenced consumers’ weekly and monthly expenditure on fresh fish. The study proposes that more information be provided to consumers regarding the numerous nutritional benefits of fresh fish for both rural and urban dwellers. Also, policy makers and marketers need to improve the availability of fresh fish in rural and semi-urban settings.
Highlights
Fish consumption has undergone major changes in the past four decades
This study comparatively analyses the disparity in demand for fresh fish between rural and urban households in Cameroon
This paper is to demonstrate disparities in demand for fresh fish for rural and urban households in that part of the south west region of Cameroon
Summary
World per capita fish consumption has increased steadily from an average of 9.9 kg in the 1960s to 11.5 kg in the 1970s, 12.5 kg in the 1980s, 14.4 kg in the 1990s, 16.4 kg in the 2000s and rising above 20 kg in 2016 [1]. This increase has not been uniform across regions. Per capita food consumption has been rising, and in the past few decades nutritive standards have shown positive long term trends, with worldwide increase in the average global calories supply per person and in the quantity of proteins per person. 16% of the animal protein consumed by the world’s population is derived from fish [7]
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