Can farmed fish match the preference of consumers accustomed to wild fish? Evidence from Central Malawi

The existing capacity of capture fisheries in Malawi is operating at its maximum potential, unable to meet the growing demand for fish. To address this issue, expanding the output of the aquaculture sector appears to be the only viable solution for augmenting fish supply and consumption. However, consumers in Malawi prefer fish sourced from their natural habitats, often considering farmed fish as inferior. Fortunately, advancements in breeding techniques and aquaculture management have led to improved quality of farmed fish. In this study, our objective was to identify and compare the desired characteristics and marketing preferences of fresh tilapia among consumers in Malawi with those of aquaculture-produced fish. This comparison aimed to determine if farmed fish align with consumer expectations. A conjoint experiment was conducted in Lilongwe city targeting 280 fresh tilapia fish consumers. Preferences and associated willingness to pay were modeled using rank-ordered logit regression. The findings indicate that consumers favor smaller-sized fish (around 130 g), a size that is currently achievable through aquaculture practices. Interestingly, consumers displayed less enthusiasm for a pricing model based solely on weight. Notably, although consumers maintain a belief that wild-caught fish is superior to farmed fish, they indicated a willingness to pay for farmed products. The current technology and practices allow aquaculture farms to produce fish within the preferred size range, which presents an opportunity for sector expansion. However, achieving this potential requires effective marketing strategies to shift cultural perceptions that currently hinder the acceptance of farmed fish.