Market Channel Analysis of Mud Crab (Scylla Olivacea) in the Southwest Coastal Region of Bangladesh

Abstract

The study has been conducted to identify the existing marketing channel of the mud crab (Scylla olivacea) business in the southwest coastal region of Bangladesh. Both qualitative and quantitative data were collected through 180 individual interviews, 15 focus group discussions, and 10 key informant interviews conducted from March to December  2022. The results revealed that around 95% of crabs were harvested from wild sources and the highest amounts of crabs are harvested in the rainy season. However, 80% of the total harvested mud crab was primarily distributed to farias, 9% to soft-shell crab farms, and 11% to the depots. Around 51% of the total harvest comes to the depots and about 60.78% of those landed crabs were sent to the exporter in Dhaka city. The marketing map divulged that soft-shell crab farms have collected 58% of the total harvested mud crab through different market actors. However, after farming only 39.5% of total harvested crabs were exported as frozen soft-shell crabs while 24% of the total harvest was exported as live crabs. Crab is a growing sub-sector in this region but the involvement of too many market actors creates a complex market system, especially for live carb. Moreover, lack of mud crab hatcheries, export regulation, and government support as well as insufficient knowledge and awareness are thwarting the sustainable improvement of this sector.