Is tilapia the same product worldwide or are markets segmented?

摘要

Tilapia is one of the fastest growing aquaculture species in the world. It is produced and consumed in all continents and in more countries than most other species, making the market more heterogeneous than for other successful aquaculture species such as salmon and shrimp. This paper investigates the degree of market integration between tilapia from the three largest production regions, Asia, Africa and South and Central America. The study considers the different production methods, transport costs and qualities between the world’s largest producers and determines whether tilapia products from different producers can essentially be considered the same product. This is important in order to understand the fast development of farmed tilapia worldwide and its prospects for future development.