A STUDY ON DOMESTIC MARKETING OF SHARKS AND RAYS IN SABAH, MALAYSIA

Abstract

This paper examines the domestic marketing of sharks and rays in Sabah. The aspects which highlighted in the study are include; the major players in the system, marketing channels and practices. Profiling the middlemen, their marketing activities and practices are crucial to indicate the economic roles of each type middlemen along the supply chain and the value creation made on the products respectively. This information are indicators of the commodification and marketization of sharks and rays in Malaysia, the major players, value added activities, roles of prices on the supply and demand of shark and ray products and consumer preferences. Therefore, data on the marketing of sharks and rays are collected through “key informant surveys” (KIS) and “focus group discussions” (FGD) with relevant stakeholders who are involved in the activities. Based on the findings of the KIS and FGDs, the marketing channels are highly localized depending on the catch (volume and type) and local demand due to the traders that have a good marketing network within Malaysia. Moreover, the sharks and rays product development is active that fishers and traders are able to add value to their catch by various product transformations through drying, packaging and processing both for food and non-food purposes. Due to the unique properties of the products, its marketing system is run by a wide range of intermediaries including: fishers, wholesalers, retailers (incl. those specializing in medicinal products), restaurants, exporters/importers and consumers. The observation on the domestic marketing of sharks and rays in selected areas in Sabah suggest that the industry is responding to the market forces pretty well despite the location disadvantage.