DOI: 10.36347/sjavs.2018.v05i02.004

Pages: 73-77

Abstract: The availability of fish in rural and urban markets directly and indirectly affects the consumption pattern of fish in rural and urban households. Many factors including socio demographics of consumers influence fish purchasing. Batticaloa District has the highest average expenditure on fish in Eastern Province and has the second highest expenditure next to Mannar District Island wide. Abundance of inland and marine water resource availability in this area leads to ample production and consumption of fish. This study was designed to compare different variables in fish purchasing between rural and urban markets. A questionnaire survey was carried out in 3 rural and 3 urban markets among 14 DS divisions of Batticaloa District. Sample selection was done in simple random method and 60 samples for each rural and urban population, altogether 120 fish consumers were interviewed. Data revealed that majority of Batticaloa people eat marine and inland fish collectively. Mean comparison among variables was done to reveal the implication of results. Significant differences were found between the rural and urban markets in household size (p < 0.05), total family income of consumers (p < 0.05), expenditure on inland fish (p < 0.05) and expenditure on marine fish (p < 0.05). Even though there were significant differences in marine and inland fish purchases, the total expenditure on fish does not vary between rural and urban consumers.