Description

Abstract: Honduran tilapia farmers currently face several problems regarding product size and export-quota requirements. One major obstacle is the production of undersized fish not suitable for the export market. Domestic markets would provide stability by offering additional market alternatives, thereby reducing risks associated with having only one target market. The Goal of this project was to assess the domestic market as an alternative tilapia outlet. While the overall study includes analyses of supermarket, fish market, and restaurant market outlets, this document will focus on the supermarket segment. A census of the supermarkets listed in telephone books in the major urban areas and eight small towns in Honduras resulted in 54 completed supermarket questionnaires. The analysis provides important insights into supply characteristics, buyer patterns and preferences, and trends in the domestic market. The survey showed that tilapia is a well-known product in Honduran supermarkets. More than 40% of the supermarkets in the country sold tilapia, and 50% of supermarket managers responded that they were either somewhat or very likely to sell tilapia the next year. However, lack of demand, freshness, and seasonal availability were mentioned as primary reasons for not selling the product. Short-term strategies would focus on larger supermarkets catering to international, high-, and middle-income clientele groups. The presence of a specialized seafood section contributes to tilapia sales. Low daily volumes and lack of demand could be addressed through in-store demonstrations, samples, and pointof- purchase information. These results suggest that, provided tilapia farmers combine adequate marketing strategies with availability of high-quality tilapia, it may be possible to further develop the

domestic market for tilapia in Honduras.