DFM Reports & Books

This report provides a detailed description of the dried fish segment of the seafood value chain of Karnataka. The state’s dried fish segment is analyzed from two perspectives: the vertical flow of dried fish products, i.e., from producers/processors to consumers; and, the horizontal flow, i.e., from the coastal markets to hinterland consumption centers. Market analysis shows that the Mangaluru wholesale dried fish market can be described as the pivotal market for dried fish in the state. Though there is inter-regional trade of dried fish taking place in other production centers as well, the scale and scope of Mangaluru make it a pivotal market. Dried fish producers are present in substantial numbers in all the sampled fish landing centers on the coast, though their number appears to have declined strongly over time. The study made only a limited attempt to understand the consumption aspects of dried fish products in the state, but with limited evidence it could be hypothesized that dried fish forms an important part of diet especially among the weaker sections of the society, but maybe it is preferred less by the younger generations/cohort. The report discusses the major challenges facing dried fish production in Karnataka, and offers some suggestions for reviving this critical component of the small-scale fisheries of the state.