Industry overview
What is shaping fishing
Fishing connects coastal communities, processors and exporters in a supply chain where freshness, ice and timing decide value. Livelihoods depend on seasons, regulation and access to cold chain.
- Seasonal fishing bans and weather drive income cycles
- Cold chain and processing determine export quality
- Welfare schemes and cooperatives support fisher families
Client background
An aquaculture feed manufacturer, working in Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal & Gujarat. Client identity is withheld to protect confidentiality.
- Organisation
- An aquaculture feed manufacturer
- Sector
- Fishing
- Team engaged
- Market Research
- Services
- Quantitative research, Offline data collection (CAPI), Sampling & recruitment
Client challenge
The client’s premium feed was losing share to cheaper brands. Sales teams believed farmers were purely price-driven, but the company suspected technical advice and credit terms also played a role.
Research objectives
- Deliver on the brief: understanding feed choices among shrimp and fish farmers.
- Understand the views, needs and behaviour of farmers.
- Understand the views, needs and behaviour of feed dealers.
- Measure how widespread each pattern is, and explain the reasons behind it.
- Give the client evidence it can act on within 6 weeks.
Target audience
The work focused on 900 farmers and 60 feed dealers.
- farmers900
- feed dealers60
Audiences we typically reach in fishing
Fishers and boat ownersFish traders and auctioneersProcessors and exportersSeafood consumersCooperatives and scheme officials
Geographic coverage
Coverage: Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal & Gujarat. Market: India.
- India
Research methodology
A mixed-method design: structured research measured how widespread each pattern was, and qualitative conversations explained why.
- 1Brief
- 2Farmer survey
- 3Dealer interviews
- 4Insight
We built a sampling frame of active farms with help from local associations, then interviewed farmers about pond size, species, feed brands, technical support and credit. Dealer interviews explored margins and credit practices.
Quantitative researchOffline data collection (CAPI)Sampling & recruitment
Sampling strategy
- farmers
- 900
- feed dealers
- 60
- Business respondents were screened on role, company size and involvement in the decision before being invited.
- Respondents were selected across Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal & Gujarat using quotas set in advance for each location and respondent type, so no single area or group dominated.
- Qualitative participants were recruited purposively to cover the full range of experiences that mattered, rather than for statistical representation.
Data collection
- Trained local-language interviewers conducted interviews in person on tablets (CAPI), with time and location recorded for every interview.
- Interviews and discussions were led by experienced moderators using a guide agreed with the client.
Data quality & validation
- Back-checks on a share of completed interviews
- Time and location checks on field interviews
- Supervisor accompaniment in the field
- Recordings and transcripts for every session
- Re-screening of qualitative recruits
- Logic and range checks on the final data
- Work carried out under our ISO 20252 quality procedures
Data analysis
- Cross-tabulation by key groups and locations
- Significance testing on the differences that mattered
- Thematic coding of interviews and discussions
- Journey and decision mapping
Key findings
- Farmers valued technical visits and disease advice highly, and many switched brands when dealers offered longer credit during difficult cycles.
Price is often blamed for losses that are really about support and credit.
Recommendations
- Build on the core insight: price is often blamed for losses that are really about support and credit.
- Focus effort where the evidence was strongest: farmers valued technical visits and disease advice highly, and many switched brands when dealers offered longer credit during difficult cycles.
- Re-measure after the changes to confirm the effect.
Business impact
- The client introduced a technical service team for key clusters and reviewed its dealer credit policy.
What changed in the business as a result of the work. Impact is described qualitatively.
Deliverables & next steps
- Insight report and management presentation
- Cleaned data file and data tables
- Repeat the measure after changes are in place to track progress.
- A natural follow-on question: where is value lost between catch and market?
Client identity is withheld to protect confidentiality.