MAY 1979
METHOD
OF
CONDUCTING
A
MARKETING
STUDY
Research and Development Series No. 24 AID ea/180
International Center for Aquaculture Auburn University
Agricultural Experiment Station Auburn, Alabama
R. Dennis Rouse, Director
CONTENTS
Page
INTRODUCTION ................................................ 3
The Objective.................................. .3
The Data ..... ................................... 3
The Questionnaire..... .................... .......... 4
The M anual............ ................................. 5
THE SAMPLE DESIGN............................................5
The Market Interviewers ............................... 6
DATA HANDLING .............................. I........... ...... 6
DATA ANALYSIS ................................................ 6
Price-size Relationships of Demand..................... 7
Other Analyses..................... .... ...... ...... . .7
PRESENTATION OF RESULTS........ 4 ............................. 7
APPENDIX 1............. . ............................ 9
APPENDIX 2....................... ................. 9
APPENDIX 3......... ........ ........... ...... ... ... 10
APPENDIX 4.........................................15
PUBLISHED 5/79-1M
Information contained herein is available to all without regard
to race, color, or national origin.
Method Of Conducting A Marketing Study
E. W. McCoy ahd M. L. Hopkins'
INTRODUCTION
MARKETING, IN GENERAL, includes those functional
activities that occur between production and consumption.
Included among these are storing, transporting, processing, and
financing. A market channel is the route a product follows from
producer to consumer: from producer to wholesaler to retailer
to consumer. Market studies thus are diverse, ranging from a
study of the cost of transportation to an overview of the entire
marketing system. Before any marketing study should be
undertaken, the problem area should be clearly identified.
A fish marketing study conducted in Central Luzon,
Philippines, is used as an example to illustrate the important
sections in a market study process.
The Objective
When the problem area is identified, the objective must be
established. The objective is the basis for formulating methods
to establish data for decisions. If current data are not available
from secondary sources, then primary data sources must be
used.
In marketing, three primary data sources are available:
producers, sellers, and consumers. In a typical market situation,
producers are many, diverse, and geographically separated.
Sellers are fewer in number, relatively uniform, and
geographically concentrated in centrally located market places.
Consumers again are numerous, diverse, and geographically
separated. The decision criteria are a matter of time and cost.
Primary data from any or all sectors should allow establishment
of the objectives. Producers and consumers will furnish
estimates of home production or consumption from sources that
bypassed the normal market chain.
Given no constraints on expenditures for data collection, all
three primary data sources should be utilized. In an imperfect
world, however, restrictions are almost always placed on
expenditures. Thus, the market study must be conducted within
given constraints imposed by expenditure, time, personnel, or
other factors.
The following objectives were established in the example fish
marketing study in the Philippines.
1. To determine consumption statistics for fish by species.
2. To determine seasonality of demand and supply.
3. To determine price-size relationships of demand.
Each objective must be clearly formulated. Existing
consumption statistics may be available from secondary
sources. Consumption statistics are necessary to indicate a base
point for analysis. For example, if after a 5-year fisheries
development program consumption is estimated at 20 kilograms
1
Associate Professor and Research Associate, respectively,
Department of Fisheries and Allied Aquacultures.
per capita, there is no basis for indicating whether an increase or
decrease has occurred.
Seasonality of demand is high or stable when supply or natural
production is low. Operators may be able to adjust production
to permit harvest during the low supply and/or high demand
period.
Quantity demanded is a function of price, ceteris paribus;
however, the demand for 1 kilogram of 100-gram fish is not the
same as the demand for a 1-kilogram fish. The smaller fish may
sell for a lower or higher price per unit. Production of small fish
may be more efficient and profitable even though larger fish
command a higher market price.
The Data
Before collection of primary data can begin, the market
researcher must clearly differentiate the form of data available
from the form of data desired. For example, a market researcher
may desire information in the tabular form as indicated in table
1. If the per capita consumption was known or could be
estimated, then the total consumption could be derived for each
province/state and for the area.
Determination of supply and demand on a seasonal basis
could be derived from table 2. The example table is for an area
and the species list is reduced to avoid continuation tables.
Demand is a schedule of the amounts of fish the buyers are
ready, willing, and able to take from the market at specified
alternative prices. Buyers can never take more from the market
than is available. When supply is not limited, however, buyers
will not take additional quantities from the market unless the
price is reduced, other things equal. In table 2 the per capita
consumption figures would be based on given prices throughout
the year. Demand then would vary depending on variations in
consumer income, price of competing goods, customs, and
tastes and preferences of consumers.
Supply is the alternative amounts of product producers are
willing and able to place on the market at a given time for a given
set of alternative prices. With a stable price level, supply would
vary due to natural factors, cost changes, and other changes
including new technology. The variation in supply of fish could
be larger than variations in demand when most of the fish sold
come from capture sources. Questions regarding enhancement
of production could easily be resolved if table 2 could be
derived.
The price-size relationship of supply and demand requires
data for table 3. The table would include species and seasonality;
however, differentiation between supply and demand
components would be difficult unless a completed version of
table 4 could be determined.
The task of the market researcher is to devise an instrument to
elicit the proper information to meet the objectives.
Commercial producers maintain records of production;
TABLE 1. PER CAPITA CONSUMPTION OF FISH IN CENTRAL LUZON, PHILIPPINES, BY CLASS AND PROVINCE, 1977
Class 
Consumption by 
province
Bataan Bulacan Nueva-Ecija Pampanga Tarlac Zambales Total
Marine kg kg kg kg kg kg kg
1st ......................... xx.x xx.x xx.x xx.x xx.x xx.x xx.x
2nd ........................ xx.x xx.x xx.x xx.x xx.x xx.x xx.x
3rd......................... xx.x xx.x xx.x xx.x xx.x xx.x xx.x
Total..................... xxx.x xxx.x xxx.x xxx.x xxx.x xxx.x xxx.x
Freshwater
1st ......................... xx.x xx.x xx.x xx.x xx.x xx.x xx.x
2nd ........................ xx.x xx.x xx.x xx.x xx.x xx.x xx.x
3rd......................... xx.x xx.x xx.x xx.x xx.x xx.x xx.x
Total..................... xxx.x xxx.x xxx.x xxx.x xxx.x xxx.x xxx.x
Crustaceans................... xx.x xx.x xx.x xx.x xx.x xx.x xx.x
Other ........................ xx.x xx.x xx.x xx.x xx.x xx.x xx.x
Total..................... xxx.x xxx.x xxx.x xxx.x xxx.x xxx.x xxx.x
Grand total ................... xxx.x xxx.x xxx.x xxx.x xxx.x xxx.x xxx.x
TABLE 2. PER CAPITA DEMAND FOR AND SUPPLY OF FISH AT GIVEN PRICES, IN CENTRAL LUZON, PHILIPPINES, BY SPECIES AND MONTH, 1977
Species 
Demand and supply, by month
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Total
Marine
Demand....................... xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xxx
Supply ....................... xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xxx
Freshwater
Demand....................... xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xxx
Supply ....................... xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xxx
Crustaceans
Demand....................... xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xxx
Supply ....................... xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xxx
Other
Demand....................... xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xxx
Supply ....................... xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xxx
Total ......................
Demand....................... xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx xxxx
Supply ....................... xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx xxxx
however, a considerable portion of the production is from small-
scale fisheries, for which no records are available. Neither are
records available to indicate the number of fishermen engaged
in the industry. Brokers, who handle most of the catch, have
detailed records on their transactions, but they may be unwilling
to reveal the scope of business. Market sellers have precise
estimates of the amount of their purchases over a short time
period. Recall data would be less exact. The number of market
sellers is difficult to ascertain on a long-term basis since the
number varies by day of week and month of the year. Consumer
estimates of purchases again are relatively precise over a short
time period. Longer period estimates would be less accurate.
A further problem exists in utilizing data from producers or
consumers. The persons interviewed would have to be a
representative cross section of all producers or all consumers.
Without prior knowledge regarding the population of producers
or consumers, a relatively large number of interviews would
have to be taken.
Hopkins,
2 
in the study of marketing practices of artisanal
fishermen, interviewed fishermen, fish pond owners, and fish
market personnel. The study was conducted simultaneously
with a NEDA-BFAR artisanal fisheries census, and a 5 percent
sample of all fishermen was asked specific marketing questions.
When a survey can serve a dual purpose, as in the example, more
data can be collected at a lower cost.
2
HOPKINS, M. L. AND E. W. McCoY. 
1976. Marketing of Fisheries
Products by Municipal Fishermen in Panguil Bay, Philippines. Auburn
Univ. (Ala.) Agr. Exp. Sta., International Center for Aquaculture, Res.
and Dev. Ser. 11.
For a marketing study alone, when time and money are
constraints, the logical data sources are brokers and wholesalers.
Specific procedures must be followed to gain valid information
from these sources. First, the personnel collecting data must be
well-trained; second, the survey must be clearly separated from
any revenue gathering aspects of government; and third,
preliminary groundwork for conducting the survey must be
established.
The other source for market data when time and money are
constraints is sellers in the market place. Sellers are easy to
locate, relatively easy to interview after an introduction, and are
able to provide information regarding the majority of fish
marketed.
The Questionnaire
A questionnaire is an instrument designed to record responses
to specific questions. If the market researcher conducts every
interview, then the questionnaire can be in short note form with
ample space for recording responses. If different interviewers
are used to gather information, then the questions must be
clearly listed so each interviewer asks precisely the same
questions.
TABLE 3. PRICE-QUANTITY RELATIONSHIP OF FISH IN CENTRAL LUZON,
PHILIPPINES, BY SIZE GROUPING
Size - No./kg Price/kg Quantity available
10 or more................... x.xx xxx
5 -9......................... x.xx xxx
2-4 ......................... x.xx xxx
1 or less .................... x.xx xxx
Total ..................... xx.xx xxxx
TABLE 4. PER CAPITA DEMAND FOR AND SUPPLY OF FISH IN BATAAN PROVINCE, CENTRAL LUZON, PHILIPPINES, IN JANUARY, BY SPECIES AND SIZE
Class 10 or more/kg 5-9/kg 2-4/kg 
1 or less/kg Total
Supply Demand Supply Demand 
Supply Demand Supply Demand
Marine
1st ........................ xx xx xx xx xx xx 
xx xx xxx
2nd ....................... xx xx xx xx xx xx 
xx xx xxx
3rd........................ xx xx xx xx xx xx xx 
xx xxx
Freshwater
1st ........................ xx xx xx xx xx xx 
xx xx xxx
2nd ....................... xx xx xx xx xx xx xx 
xx xxx
3rd........................ xx xx xx xx xx xx 
xx xx xxx
Crustaceans................... xx xx xx xx xx 
xx xx xxx
Other ....................... xx xx xx xx xx 
xx xx xx xxx
Total.................... xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx 
xxx xxx xxx xxxx
The questionnaire used in the Central Luzon, Philippines,
market study (shown in Appendix III) was specifically designed
to fulfill the objectives. The first three pages of the questionnaire
are specific questions asked of the market sellers. The remaining
pages are forms for recording sellers' responses. A brief
summary of the questionnaire will indicate the expected use of
each response.
The initial information is required to identify the sellers'
location. Distance data are required to determine if supply and
price vary by distance to the source of fish. Question 1 identifies
the permanency of the seller, while question 2 is used to
determine if the market has more sellers than provided spaces.
Questions 3 and 4 are needed to expand the sample data to
parameter estimates. Question 5 indicates the speed with which
fish are sold, and question 16 later rechecks whether fish are
rapidly sold. Generally, rapid sales indicate excess demand with
respect to the available supply. Question 6 would indicate
whether sellers resorted to services to increase sales. Until the
market is saturated, sellers normally do not have to process the
fish. If the sellers charge for the service, it may be provided only
as an additional income source.
Questions 7 through 11 are recorded in table 1. Table 1 forms
the basis for estimation of quantity seasonality. While the data on
least and most sales are based on recall, no attempt is made to
elicit recall of sales for every month of the year. Question 17
refers to demand. In effect it asks what time periods could 
the
seller sell more fish if they were available. Again no attempt 
is
made to ascertain how much more fish could be sold.
If the interviewers are properly trained and carefully and
completely determine the responses to questions 7 through 11,
then estimates can be made for objectives 1 and 2. Questions 12
through 17 are designed to gain information to meet the third
objective. The responses are recorded in table 2. Answers
recorded in table 1 serve as control values for table 2. For
example, a seller may handle 50 kilograms of milkfish per day of
which 20 kilograms are less than 100 grams per fish, 25 kilograms
are from 100 to 200 grams, 10 kilograms are from 200 to 500
grams, and 5 kilograms are over 500 grams in size. The seller may
have difficulty obtaining fish in the two larger size groups,
especially during certain months of the year. Price paid by the
seller for the fish is recorded by size of fish. Price paid is
determined since price charged to consumers may vary
according to time of day and other factors. Variation in price by
month of year is next determined. Again, as in table 1, only the
months of highest and lowest price are recorded. The amount of
fish left over at the end of the day would indicate a supply
surplus. With consistently large surplus the sellers would reduce
orders if that option were available. If no fish were in excess, the
sellers would increase orders until a slight surplus resulted.
Sellers were queried regarding the amount and size of additional
fish they could sell if the fish were available. To avoid double
counting of retail sales, the amount of sales to other retailers was
established.
Question 18 attempts to determine the sellers' perspective of
changes that have occurred in supply and demand over time.
This covers not only species presently sold but also other species
formerly sold. The expectation is that sellers will not have
perfect recall of quantities or prices. However, sellers will have
an opinion regarding whether prices and quantities have
fluctuated upward or downward over the time period.
Question 19 is designed to establish the import statistics for
fish on a province/state basis. Specific quantities of fish are
produced within the province/state, and some of these are
exported to other provinces/states or out of the area. Other fish
are produced in other provinces/states and imported into the
area. The net balance for the province/state and area can be
estimated from data in table 4.
After a draft of the questionnaire is completed, a pretest is
necessary to determine if seller response is in the form
anticipated by the questionnaire designer. In the marketing
questionnaire, the designer anticipated that all sellers were
aware of first, second, and third class designations for fish. In
pre-testing, however, it was revealed that sellers considered all
of their fish as first class. The question was modified to ask the
local name for the species sold. The question regarding the
number of days fish were available was also added since the
number of market days and number of days fish were available
were not the same for smaller markets. Other changes were
made to improve the flow of the questionnaire. The
questionnaire included in the Appendix is the final instrument
used.
The Manual
Following pretest and final adjustment of the questionnaire,
an interviewer's manual should be prepared. The manual lists
the step-by-step procedure for asking each question. It 
is
important that each interviewer ask the questions precisely the
same way every time. On question 5, for example, if the market
has fish available from 4 a.m. to 9 a.m. and then from 4 p.m. to 
7
p.m., the number of hours is 8. Gathering data on distance to
market source by type also requires precise questioning. Table 4
is designed to reveal the source of fish to the market. Often the
seller may not know the closest source, but the questionnaire
editor is expected to ascertain the correct data to complete
question 1 of the questionnaire. The manual of instruction 
for
completing the survey is included in the Appendix.
THE SAMPLE DESIGN
After the market researcher has decided that sellers will be the
source for demand and supply information, the sellers to be
interviewed must be selected. Certain assumptions regarding
the population of sellers must be made before the sample criteria
can be established. The amount of advance knowledge
regarding the respondents will determine the number of
assumptions necessary. Advance knowledge can also reduce the
necessary sample size.
Market personnel in an area have general information
regarding the number of markets and estimates of the maximum
number of sellers in each market. With these estimates as a basis,
the sample size can be established. The sampling must be dual,
however. After the number of markets to be sampled is
established, the number of sellers to interview in each market
must be ascertained.
For sample sizes less than 1,000, more than 50 percent of the
population must be sampled for valid parameter estimates.
Thus, with an estimated 116 markets, at least 58 must be sampled
for expansion purposes. For markets with 10 or fewer sellers, all
must be interviewed. In the case of markets with more than 10
sellers, 10 or more must be interviewed depending on the
number of interviewers assigned to the market. For large
markets 10 percent of the sellers must be interviewed. In the
Central Luzon, Philippines, market study, the total population
of sellers was unknown before the survey, as was the expected
number of sellers in each market. A sampling procedure was
established for each market. The sampling procedure was
designed to yield at least 10 percent of the sellers in at least 50
percent of the markets.
A randomization procedure was used in market selection. All
markets within a province were listed in alphabetical order. A
list of random numbers was assigned to the list of markets. The
number of markets selected was a function of the number of
interviewers and the amount of time available to complete the
survey. Initially, the number of interviewers was set at 12 and the
length of survey period was 3 weeks, excluding training and
pretest. It was assumed that interviewers could complete 4
questionnaires per day, 5 days per week, or 60 interviews over
the 3-week period. Twelve interviewers would be sufficient to
complete 720 interviews during the scheduled length of time.
Since the markets were geographically separated within the
province and six provinces were included within the study area,
time efficiency was a major control factor.
Two administrative positions are required for a marketing
study: a field supervisor and a team leader. The field supervisor
would previsit each market area, establish the market location
within the area, determine the number of sellers operating in the
market, determine the sample size, and establish the procedure
for collecting a random sample of market sellers. The team
leader(s) would select the interviewers for each market, arrange
for transport to each market, reestablish the count of sellers in
each market, distribute questionnaires, spot-check interviews,
and conduct interviews.
The Market Interviewers
A training program for interviewers is necessary to ensure that
each person fully understands the nature of the study. One week
of training should be planned to provide step-by-step coverage
of the questionnaire. Thorough coverage of the manual, test
interviews in a non-market sample area, reappraisal of the
questionnaire after the test interviews, and an open forum
question and answer period are necessary parts of the training
program.
During the training period the interviewers must learn how to
explain the purpose of the study, record the data, probe for
information, and use various techniques to elicit responses to the
questions. An extended training period is necessary if the
questionnaire and manual are in English while all interviews are
to be conducted in another language. The language transition
requires complete understanding of the question, its purpose,
and the general type of response expected. Question 16, for
example, was an estimate of oversupply. In the pretest period,
all of the sellers responded yes to this question. In response to the
follow-up question "What do you do with these fish?" the
answer was "sell in the afternoon." In translation, question 16
had become "do you often have fish left over in the morning?" or
the connotation of left over was lost. The question was modified
to be "do you often have unsold fish?" On questions 14 and 15,
some of the interviewers asked the selling price, while others
asked the buying price. The training period allowed adjustment
of these problem areas. Other problem areas would be expected
to arise during the survey period and would be resolved as they
arose.
Supervision of the interview process is as important as the
interview. The interview forms should be checked daily to
ensure that each interviewer is recording comparable
information. The follow-up interviews will establish if the
interviewers are probing sufficiently to gain the available data.
DATA HANDLING
After the interview forms are completed, editing must be
performed to convert all survey information to a comparable
format. Units of measurements given by sellers must be
converted to the same unit. For example, low quantity sellers
often purchase and sell fish by the piece. The interviewer must
estimate the number of pieces to a kilogram. High volume sellers
purchase by the tub. A tub has a standard measurement of
approximately 35 kilograms. All of the various measures must be
converted to kilograms for comparability of data.
Editing soon after the survey form is completed allows the
interviewer to recall any data misrecorded on the questionnaire.
The control totals can be checked to assure consistency of
recording for all tables of the questionnaire.
The data could be hand-tabulated on prepared forms and
summarized into final form. The punch card approach requires
additional time in editing the data, but allows numerous
methods of data compilation after the data cards are prepared.
The code books and codes for transferring the data to punched
form are listed in the Appendix. Essentially all answers on the
questionnaire were converted to numeric form.
DATA ANALYSIS
When the sample data are statistically valid, i.e., the sample
statistics are valid estimators of population parameters, the
sample statistics can be expanded to the population. For
example, the quantity of fish sold daily by the sampled sellers
was representative of the quantity sold daily by all sellers.
Expansion of quantity sold is determined by the following
formulae:
Qt = Xij
Xis = M (SijXis)
Qt = total quantity of fish sold
Xis = quantity of fish of the i
th 
species sold in the jth province/
state
Ms = number of markets in the jth province/state
Sis = number of sellers of the ith species in the 
1
th province
Xij- =average quantity sold of the ith Species in the jt
province
Seasonality of demand was determined by the following
method:
max Qm = max ZXijm
where
Qm represents the maximum amount sold in the mth month and
min Qn represents the minimum amount sold in the nth month.
Qm and Qn would represent the maximum and minimum
values, respectively, in the Xijm matrix. The matrix includes 9
species, 6 provinces/states, and 12 months.
While Qn is an important value for the area, a subvalue Qjm
would be of more practical use for planning purposes.
Qm represents the maximum or minimum amount available in
the jth province/state during the mth month.
While entire seasonal fluctuations cannot be determined, the
seasonal highs and lows can be determined. In addition, by
establishing when the sellers could sell additional fish the supply
and demand aspects of seasonality can be determined.
Price-size Relationships of Demand
Quantity demanded, ceteris paribus, is a function of price. If
all fish are uniform in size, a demand curve by province/state
could be established. Since fish vary both by size and species,
the demand curve is more complex.
Qkij = Akij - BkijPkij
where Qkij is the quantity 
demand of the kth size of the 
ith
species in the jth province/state.
The equation is based on the assumption that quantity will
move to the area with the highest price and that per capita
demand is constant over all provinces/states.
Other Analyses
Other analyses that would be useful in planning purposes
include the relationship of price and quantity with distance from
source of supply, changes in species composition with
movement away from the supply source, sellers' perception of
price and quantity changes over time, relative species
composition changes over time, and size composition of existing
supply. Of particular interest would be the inter- and intra-area
movement of fish.
PRESENTATION OF RESULTS
Tabular analysis is necessary to display the demand and
supply relationships in concise format. However, a text
presentation is necessary to indicate the significance of the
results and to relate the findings to project goals. If the study is a
baseline survey of marketing, the presentation would mention
highlights of the findings and discuss shortfalls of supply or
demand. If the study is designed to indicate market gaps that
could be filled by freshwater production, then these gaps should
be isolated for discussion. In addition, the method of freshwater
production that could fill the gaps should be identified.
The market survey is one analytical tool in problem solving.
The study is a means to an end and not the end in itself.

APPENDIX I
Designation of Training Personnel Duties
Duties
Project leader:
Develop and pre-test questionnaire
Conduct training of interviewers
Designate criteria for selection of sample areas
Check editing and coding of questionnaires
Analyze data
Field supervisor:
With project leader, select and pre-survey all sample areas
Assign sample areas to team leaders
Assign survey materials and vehicles to team leaders
Check team members' editing and coding
Assign municipality/city, questionnaire, and distance
numbers for coding
Arrange for facilities for editing and coding
Team leaders:
Determine survey requirements in designated sample markets
Determine count of wholesalers and retailers in designated
markets
Check team members' survey forms
Arrange for survey editing
Add municipality/city, questionnaire, and distance numbers
to questionnaire forms
Assign coding to team members
Turn in completed questionnaires and code sheets to field
supervisor
Team members:
Survey selected sellers as assigned by team leader
Edit questionnaires
Code questionnaires
Provide other assistance as required by team leaders
Advisors-coordinators:
Provide liaison service with respective agencies
Assist team members with data collection, coding, and editing
Provide technical assistance to project director, field super-
visor, and team leaders
APPENDIX 2
Manual of Instructions for Retailer Questionnaire
Fish Marketing Survey
Introduction
This manual is designed as a self-teaching device. Each aspect
of the questionnaire is covered in detail. After examining the
questionnaire, read the manual closely. If you have any
questions regarding a section of the questionnaire, please bring it
to the attention of the entire group, others may have the same
question.
The fish marketing survey is designed to determine the
availability of fish in an area. Sellers may want to know why you
are conducting the survey. One purpose is to determine the
sellers' satisfaction with the marketing system, the market place,
and their general opinion regarding the changes over the last 5
years. These points might be stressed in your approach to the
sellers.
Your interviewees will be selected by the team leader.
Remember also that the dealers are in the market to sell fish. Do
not intrude on their business activities. If your selected
interviewee is busy, try to arrange for an interview at a less busy
time.
The Questionnaire
The interviewer should fill in all items as completely as
possible. Date the questionnaire and sign your name in the upper
right hand corner. The date is necessary to determine whether
the questionnaire was taken on the market day in a particular
market. Fill in the name of the province/state,
municipality/city, village, and name of market. Often the
market name will be the municipality/city name. The village is
important when multiple markets exist within a
municipality/city. Do not fill in the distance estimates. These
distance measurements will be provided to you during editing
following data collection.
Question 1. How long have you sold fish? Determine the
length of time the seller has been in business. If the seller has
been in business less than 5 years, only a portion of table 3 can be
completed; if less than 1 year, only the first column of table 3 can
be completed.
Question 2. Type of stall. Question refers to the stall not the
seller. The question is designed to determine if the market has
adequate facilities for fish sales. Sellers selling from baskets on
the ground would be temporary, while sellers selling from fixed
constructed structures in the market would be permanent.
Record this information from observation since it is not
necessary to ask any questions.
Questions 3, 4, and 5. Answers to these questions will be
provided by the team leader to all interviewers in the same
market.
Question 6. Do you clean fish for buyers? A common response
will be "sometimes"; attempt to determine the circumstances of
when or why they clean fish for the buyer. If they clean the fish
on request and charge a fee, check "yes" and record the amount
of fee. If they clean fish only late in the day and charge no fee,
record "yes" and note on questionnaire, "only late in day." Make
similar notes for other circumstances.
(Questions 7-11 refer both to questions and to table 1.)
Question 7. Record under species in table 1 the common name
of all species sold by the seller. Under form note the form of fish
sold, i.e., fresh, dried, smoked, etc. Under kilograms or pieces
per day, record the quantity purchased the day of the interview.
Question 9 specifies that you inquire if the seller handles other
species at other times of the year. If "yes" list these species below
those for sale during the day of the interview. List the form these
fish are generally sold under. Since no quantity is presently
available for sale by this seller, the column under kilograms or
pieces would be zero.
Question 10 refers to fluctuations in supply of the product. For
each of the species listed, determine the lowest and highest
quantities sold per day. Then determine during which month(s)
of the year the lowest and highest quantities were sold.
Question 11 is used to determine if there are any months when
the seller cannot purchase the desired quantity of a species. List
the months that an insufficient supply occurred. It is possible
that the seller may mention a species that he never sells due to an
insufficient supply. In that instance, list the species below those
not presently for sale, place zeros in all columns except
insufficient supply column. Write "all" in the insufficient supply
column.
(Questions 12-17 refer both to questions and table 2. Table 1
will contain a listing of all species of fish sold by the seller. Table
2 is a further breakdown of these species into size categories.)
Question 12 is an inquiry regarding the quantity of each size
that is sold. Table 1 contains the control total. A seller who
separates milkfish into size groups may sell 50 kilograms of
milkfish: 25 kilograms in the 10 or more to a kilo group, 15
kilograms in the 5 to 9 to a kilo group, and 10 kilograms in the 2 to
4 to a kilo group. Each species sold, including those not presently
available, should be transferred to the appropriate size grouping
in table 2.
Question 13 is a reiteration of question 11, but now refers to
size of fish. It is possible and even likely that the seller will
mention difficulty in receiving a species size that is not presently
sold. In the difficulty column on table 2, list the months that the
fish size is not available, if never available then write "all."
Questions 14 and 15 refer to the price of fish that the dealer
sells. In table 2, price refers to the current amount the seller pays
for the fish, not the amount the fish are sold for to consumers.
The lowest price paid during the year is listed next with the
month(s) of lowest price.
Question 16 refers to an oversupply of a fish; left over means
fish that were not sold and does not refer to normal carryover
from morning to evening marketing periods. For species left
over, check the size and species in table 2.
If "no portion" ask the seller to estimate by species and size the
additional quantities that could be sold. In the difficulty column
the sizes and species by month of low supply are listed. In
question 16 the seller is asked to estimate how much more fish
he could sell if the supply restraint was removed. The species
and sizes checked in questions 13 and 16 should be consistent.
Question 17 is covered in the resale column on table 2. If sales
are made to other sellers, list the quantity sold in the resale
column.
Question 18 refers to table 3. The question is designed to
determine the sellers' subjective evaluation of the trends in
quantity and price of fish available. Ask the question for each
species of fish sold during the year including those not presently
available. The seller is only required to recall quantity and price
in relative terms.
The daily average sales over the last week only establish
whether day of interview sales are normal. Price paid establishes
the same factor for price. Weekly sales and price last year are to
be given relative to sales and price now. Answers like "half as
much" or "twice as much" are perfectly acceptable. Again for
price and quantity, changes 5 years ago relative to now are
desired. Do not expect the sellers to have perfect recall of either
quantity or price. They should, however, have some perception
of whether they previously sold more or less at a higher or lower
price.
Question 19is used for table 4 (this table has a dual purpose). It
will establish the amount of product imported into a province
and identify the source of the fish. In addition it will establish a
list of wholesalers or brokers who can be interviewed to
determine export figures.
List all species identified in table 1, including those not
presently available for sale. Write the name and address of the
dealer who provided the fish. List the quantity of the species
provided by the dealer. It is possible that more than one dealer
will provide the same species of fish. It is even more likely that
the same dealer will provide many different species to the same
seller. The source of fish means the type of dealer, i.e., retailer,
wholesaler, broker, fish farmer, fisherman, or other. The
location of supply refers to where the fish were purchased by the
dealer. If the seller does not know the location of supply, then list
the location of the dealer. Transportation means how did the
dealer get the fish to the seller. What means of transportation
was used?
The length of the questionnaire is somewhat determined by
the number of species sold by a seller. Stress the importance of
accurate data to the sellers. Speed in collecting information is not
as important as comprehensive collection of the data.
APPENDIX 3
Fish Marketing Survey
District III, Central Luzon
Retailer Questionnaire
Province/state
Municipality/city
Distance to market source by type
Type
1.
2.
Date
Interviewer
Village
Name of market
Distance to capital
Source
(place)
Distance
Marine
Brackishwater
Freshwater
How long have you sold fish?
What type of stall do you use? (check)
Permanent
Temporary
10
s checked in questions 13 and
Retailer questionnaire continued
3. How many days per week is the market open?
4. How many days per week is fish available in the market?
5. How many hours per day are fish available?
6. Do you clean fish for the buyers? If yes, how? (check)
Scaled Beheaded and gutted
Beheaded Sliced
Gutted Other (specify)
Is there a charge for this service? How much?
(For questions 7-11, fill in Table 1)
7. What type(s) of fish do you sell? In what form do you sell them?
8. About how many kg of fish do you sell per day during this time of year? (If by piece or filet, interviewer estimates number of
pieces per kilo or number of kilos per filet.)
9. Does the type of fish you sell vary by time of year?
10. Does the quantity you sell of each species vary by time of year?
If yes, what and when is the least amount of each species sold? (when the species is available). What and when is the most amount
of each species sold?
11. Can you always get the quantity of each species of fish you want to sell? If no, when and what species can
you not get enough of?
(For questions 12-17, fill in Table 2)
12. What sizes of fish do you sell?
13. Do you have any problems getting the sizes of fish you want to sell? If yes, when, what species, and
what sizes do you have difficulty in receiving?
14. Does the price you pay for fish vary by species and size?
If yes, list price in the table.
15. Does the price you pay for fish vary by time of year?
If yes, list the price and time for both lowest and highest price in the table.
16. Do you often have fish left over at the end of the day? If yes, which fish? (Check species and size on table) What
do you do with these fish?
If no, could you sell more fish if they were available? If yes, what species and sizes would you prefer to have?
About how many more kilos of each species can you sell per day?
Species Size Kilograms
17. Do you sell any fish to other retailers or ambulent vendors? If yes, how many retailers and venders do you sell
to? How many kilos of fish do you sell to other dealers? (list by size and species on table).
18. Considering only the species and sizes of fish you sell, can you tell me of any changes that have occurred during the last 5 years
(ask specific headings in table 3).
19. Where do you get your fish? (list by species in table 4 - be specific).
20. What charges do you have to pay to sell fish here? (list charges by type).
a.
b.
21. Are there any changes or improvements you would like to see made in the market? (list down)
11
Table 1. Information on Sales
Species Form
1
kg or
pieces/day Least
Period available
Time Most Time
Insufficient
supply time
code kg/day months kg/day months 
months
1 Fresh, dried, smoked, salted, etc.
12
Table 2. Species Code (Key to Previous Table)
Number per kilo
>10
No. or kg
Difficulty
Price
Lowest price
Time
Highest price
Time
Left over
Resale
5-9
No. or kg
Difficulty
Price
Lowest price
Time
Highest price
Time
Left over
Resale
2-4
No. or kg
Difficulty
Price
Lowest price
Time
Highest price
Time___ 
_
Left over
Resale
1 or less
No. or kg
Difficulty ____
13
Table 3. Sales Change Over Time
Kilos sold
Species1 last week
code daily av.
Price
paid
per kilo
Weekly sales
last year
daily av.
Average price
paid per kilo
last year
Weekly sales
5 years ago
daily av.
Average price
paid per kilo
5 years ago
1Key numbers to species sold by vendor.
Table 4. Source of Fish
Species
1 
code Dealer Quantity Source Location 
Transportation
1
Key number to species sold by vendor.
14
APPENDIX 4
Retailer Code Book
Card 1
Item
Card number
Questionnaire no.
Province Bataan- 1
Bulacan - 2
Nueva Ecija - 3
Municipality/city - interviewers to code
Distance to capital
Distance to nearest marine source
Location within province/state
within area
outside area
Distance to nearest brackishwater source - actual
Location within province/state
within area
outside area
Distance to nearest freshwater source - actual
Location within province/state
within area
outside area
Length of time in business - actual years
Type of stall permanent
temporary
Days per week market is open - actual
Days per week fish are available - actual
Hours per day fish are available - actual
Clean fish for buyer yes
no
sometimes
How cleaned - not cleaned -0
scaled -1
beheaded -2
gutted -3
Does type of fish sales vary by time of year?
Code
1
actual
Pampanga - 4
Tarlac - 5
Zambales - 6
actual in kilometers
actual in kilometers
-1
-2
-3
-1
-2
-3
-1
-2
-3
-1
-2
-1
-2
-3
beheaded and gutted
sliced
other
Does quantity vary?
Can you get quantity?
Problems getting size you want?
Does price vary by species and size?
Does price vary by time of year?
Question
no.
IBM
column
1
2-3-4
6-7
8-9-10
11-12-13
14
15-16-17
18
19-20-21
22
1
2
3
4
5
6
9
10
11
13
14
15
23-24
25
26
27
28-29
30
-4
-5
-6
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
yes-1
no -2
yes-1
no -2
yes-1
no -2
yes-1
no -2
yes-1
no -2
yes-1
no -2
15
Retailer code book continued
16 yes-1
no -2
yes-1
no -2
Do you often have fish left over?
a) Could you sell more fish if available?
If yes, species code (see sheet)
size 10-1 1
5-9-2
2-4-3
number of kilos - actual
Species
size
number kilos
Species
size
number kilos
Species
size
number kilos
Sell to retailers or ambulent venders?
If yes: How many venders?
Charges for selling fish here (see attachme
(Card 2 table 1)
Item
Card number
Questionnaire number
Province Bataan - 1
Bulacan - 2
Nueva Ecija - 3
Species code
kg/day
least kg/day
months (no more than 2)
most kg/day
months (no more than 2)
insufficient supply months
(no more than 2)
Species code
kg/day
least kg/day
months (no more than 2)
most kg/day
months (no more than 2)
insufficient supply months
(no more than 2)
Species code
kg/day
least kg/day
months (no more than 2)
most kg/day
months (no more than 2)
insufficient supply months
(no more than 2)
Repeat card 2 for additional species sold
Pampanga - 4
Tarlac - 5
Zambales - 6
or less -4
see attachment
see above
actual
see attachment
see above
actual
see attachment
see above
actual
actual
nt)
Code
2
actual
see attachment
actual
actual
see attachment
actual
see attachment
see attachment
see attachment
actual
actual
see attachment
actual
see attachment
see attachment
see attachment
actual
actual
see attachment
actual
see attachment
see attachment
yes-i1
no -2
17
20
38
39
40
41
42-43-44
45
46
47-48-49
50
51
52-53-54
55
56
57-58-59
60
61-62
63
64
65
Column
1
2-3-4
5
7-8-9
10-11-12
13-14
15-16
17-18-19
20-21
22-23
24-25
26-27
28
29-30-31
32-33-34
35-36
37-38
39-40-41
42-43
44-45
46-47
48-49
50
51-52-53
54-55-56
57-58
59-60
61-62-63
64-65
66-67
68-69
70-71
16
(Card 3 table 2)
Card number
Questionnaire number
Province
Size
Species code
kilos
difficulty month
price/kg
lowest price/kg
time (month)
highest price/kg
month
left over
resale (kg)
size
Species code
kilos
difficulty month
Bataan -1
Bulacan - 2
Nueva Ecija - 3
> 10 -1
5-9 - 2
Pampanga - 4
Tarlac - 5
Zambales - 6
2-4 - 3
1 or less - 4
price/kg
lowest price/kg
time (month)
highest price/kg
month
left over
resale (kg)
(Card 4 table 3)
Item
Card number
Questionnaire
Province
Species code
kg sold last week
price paid/kg
sales last year
price last year
sales 5 years ago
price 5 years ago
Species code
kg sold last week
price paid/kg
sales last year
price last year
sales 5 years ago
price 5 years ago
Species code
kg sold last week
price paid/kg
sales last year
price last year
sales 5 years ago
price 5 years ago
Bataan - 1
Bulacan - 2
Nueva Ecija - 3
Pampanga - 4
Tarlac - 5
Zambales - 6
kg/day
P/kg
kg/day
P/kg
kg/day
P/kg
kg/day
P/kg
kg/day
P/kg
kg/day
P/kg
kg/day
P/kg
kg/day
P/kg
kg/day
P/kg
Code
3
actual
see attachment
actual
see attachment
actual (1 decimal)
actual (1 decimal)
see attachment
actual (1 decimal)
see attachment
yes - 1
no - 2
actual
see above
see attachment
actual
see attachment
actual (1 decimal)
actual (1 decimal)
actual (1 decimal)
see attachment
yes - 1
no - 2
actual
Code
actual
see attachment
actual
actual (1 decimal)
actual
actual (1 decimal)
actual
actual (1 decimal)
see attachment
actual
actual (1 decimal)
actual
actual (1 decimal)
actual
actual (1 decimal)
see attachment
actual
actual (1 decimal)
actual
actual (1 decimal)
actual
actual (1 decimal)
64-65-66-67
Column
1
2-3-4
5
6
7-8-9-10
11-12-13
14-15-16-17
18-19-20
21-22-23-24
25-26-27
28
29-30-31-32
33-34-35
36-37-38-39
40-41-42
43-44-45-46
47-48-49
50
51-52-53-54
55-56-57
58-59-60-61
62-63-64
65-66-67-68
69-70-71
17
Column
1
2-3-4
5
6
7
8-9-10
11-12
13-14
15-16-17
18-19-20
21-22
23-24
25-26-27
28-29
30-31
32
33-34-35-36
37
38
39-40-41
42-43
44-45
46-47-48
49-50-51
52-53
54-55
56-57-58
59-60
61-62
63
(Card 5 table 4)
Item
Card number
Questionnaire number
Province/state
Species code
kilos
source
location
transportation
Species code
kilos
source
location
transportation
Species code
kilos
source
location
transportation
Species code
kilos
source
location
transportation
Species code
kilos
source
location
transportation
Species code
kilos
source
location
transportation
Species code
kilos
source
Code as on previous cards
retailer -1
wholesaler -2
broker -3
within province/state -1
within area -2
outside area -3
retailer -1
wholesaler -2
broker -3
within province/state -1
within area -2
outside area -3
retailer -1
wholesaler -2
broker -3
within province/state -1
within area -2
outside area -3
retailer -1
wholesaler -2
broker -3
within province/state -1
within area -2
outside area -3
retailer -1
wholesaler -2
broker -3
within province/state -1
within area -2
outside area -3
retailer -1
wholesaler -2
broker -3
within province/state -1
within area -2
outside area 3
retailer -1
wholesaler -2
broker -3
Code
actual
see attachments
actual
fisherman -4
fish farmer -5
other -6
see attachment
see attachment
actual
fisherman -4
fish farmer -5
other -6
see attachment
actual
actual
fisherman -4
fish farmer -5
other -6
see attachment
see attachment
actual
fisherman -4
fish farmer -5
other -6
see attachment
see attachment
actual
fisherman -4
fish farmer -5
other -6
see attachment
see attachment
actual
fisherman -4
fish farmer -5
other -6
see attachment
see attachment
actual
fisherman -4
fish farmer -5
other -6
Column
1
2-3-4
5
6
7-8-9-10
11
12
13
14
15-16-17-18
19
20
21
22
23-24-25-26
27
28
29
30
31-32-33-34
35
36
37
38
39-40-41-42
43
44
45
46
47-48-49-50
51
52
53
54
55-56-57-58
59
18
Card 5 table 4 continued
location
transportation
Species code
kilos
source
location
transportation
Species code
kilos
source
location
transportation
within province/state -1
within area -2
outside area -3
retailer -1
wholesaler -2
broker -3
within province/state -1
within area -2
outside area -3
retailer -1
wholesaler -2
broker -3
within province/state -1
within area -2
outside area -3
see attachment
see attachment
actual
fisherman -4
fish farmer -5
other -6
see attachment
see attachment
actual
fisherman -4
fish farmer -5
other -6
see attachment
Species code
1st class marine
2nd class marine
3rd class marine
1st class freshwater
2nd class freshwater
3rd class freshwater
Crustaceans
Dried
Other, including smoked
Months code
January - 1
February - 2
March - 3
April - 4
May - 5
June - 6
Transportation code
Jeepney -1 Bus -3
Truck -2 Train -4
July - 7
August - 8
September - 9
October - 10
November - 11
December - 12
Other -5
Charges code
Cash ticket - 1
Rent on stall - 2
60
61
62
63-64-65-66
67
68
69
70
71-72-73-74
75
76
77
-- 1
-2
-3
-- 4
-5
-6
-7
-8
-9
License
Other
19