Small scale carp farms need more than region-marketing in order to thrive

The marketing of carp regions attracts many visitors. But agri benchmark Fish studies show that these initiatives have not an significant impact on small scale carp farms´ profitability yet.

Carp farmers face many challenges: changed consumers’ preferences; price competition; value chain’s imbalances; poor willingness to adapt innovations; lack of farm successors; high fish losses due to cormorants and other animals; diseases; shortage of water; poor infrastructure; de-population of rural areas.

In the carp regions Aischgrund (Germany) and Barycz Valley (Poland) local stakeholders have established a wide range of region-marketing initiatives to attract tourists and strengthen the local identity with carp farming: guests information offices, carp festivals, fish farming museums, Protected Geographic Indication (PGI) and local labels, network of restaurants and fish farmers, pond guides, school teaching materials and new products. Often these initiatives are supported by EU programs.

However, our results show that small scale carp farms hardly benefit from region-marketing effects. Future (public) transfer payments should support small scale carp farms, to honor and maintain their ecosystem and cultural services for the unique pond landscapes. In contrast, region-marketing seems to be a good strategy to enhance direct marketing opportunities for medium sized carp farms and hence to improve their profitability. In case of large farms, region-marketing enhances the national recognition of their products, which could have a positive impact on the demand and price development.

This study is part of the EU research project Strategic Use of Competitiveness towards Consolidating the Economic Sustainability of the European Seafood Sector  ( SUCCESS ).

For more information please contact:

Tobias Lasner, agri benchmark Fish coordinator