Different mode of marketing of Penaeus vannamei farming in Purba Medinipur, West Bengal

West Bengal is the largest Penaeus vannamei producer next to Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. The present study was undertaken in Purba Medinipur, the predominant shrimp farming district of the state. A total of 20 traders (5 each from commission agent, processor, processing cum exporter, intermediate value addition segment, liaison agent and hyper market) were selected from the district by using simple random sampling method. Data were collected with the help of structured interview schedule through observation method. The average selling price of Penaeus vannamei having the average body weight ranges from 23 g to 27 gm was Rs. 332±26. The results of the study showed that more than half of the respondents (73%) sold their shrimp between Rs. 306/kg to Rs.359/kg, whereas, 22 per cent of their counterparts sold their product at Rs. 306/kg (low selling price). Only and very few of the respondents (5%) sold their shrimp above Rs. 359/kg (high selling price). The farmed Penaeus vannamei in Purba Medinipur District are sold through various intermediaries namely commission agent, processing cum exporter liaison agent and hyper market. Marketing efficiency in channel II is the highest among all the channels found in the study. The present study makes an attempt to study the existing marketing channels for Penaeus vannamei and evaluate the price spread and marketing efficiency of different channels. The effects of variation in the consumer price of the farmer, processor, liaison agent and hyper market are also identified.