How Region-Marketing contributes to the Profitability of Carp Farms

The carp farmers of today face many challenges, with changing consumer habits, drought, losses of fish to avian predators and diseases presenting some of the most widespread threats. The results of an agri benchmark Fish study show that the traditional single grow-out and sale of fresh carp is scarcely profitable in Germany and Poland. Region-marketing seems to be a good means to create new market opportunities. But not all types of farms benefit on the same scale.

This is the result of a study by the agri benchmark Fish network, which was published in 2019 in the journal Aquaculture. 17 Stakeholders were interviewed to explore the essence of these region-marketing concepts. According to the typical farm approach of agri benchmark Fish, focus groups of carp farmers have informed our sample of representative farms. The representative farm models enabled to compare the costs and profitability of different carp enterprises.

Further, the farm models helped to explore the potential impacts and efficacy of region-marketing initiatives introduced in recent years. Raw data were computed using the agri benchmark Fish simulation abFishCALC, which performs a range of economic efficiency analyses, with particular emphasis on cost calculations.

Study core elements:

• The study examines the profitability of carp farms in Polish Barycz Valley and German Aischgrund.
• Representative farm models show that the economic situation of carp farmers is harsh today, in particular for smallholders.
• Fisheries Local Action Groups promote the local economy with the carp as core identity.
• It is discussed what positive impact an increased tourism has towards carp farms.

An extended abstract with results you find on our website:
How Region-Marketing contributes to the Profitability of Carp Farms

The study is published here:
Lasner T., Mytlewski A., Nourry M., Rakowski M. and Oberle M. (2020) CARP LAND: Economics of Fish Farms and the Impact of Region-Marketing in the Aischgrund (DEU) and Barycz Valley (POL). Aquaculture 519, doi.org/10.1016/j.aquaculture.2019.734731