Effect of COVID-19 on fish seed marketing in West Bengal, India

ABSTRACT

West Bengal is the leading state in fish seed production in India. The pick season for production and transportation of fish seed usually starts from March, while in 2020 due to the spread of COVID-19 pandemic and imposition of lockdown the supply of fish seed was paused, creating a threatening situation in the lives of the people associated with it. The study aims to find out different extremities faced by the fish seed traders from North-24 Parganas, Howrah and Nadia districts of West Bengal, India due to enforcement of lockdown. It reveals a complete halt in fish seed distribution at some locations. Most of the respondents, took part in this research are found upto graduate level educated persons who fear of fish scarcity and hike in fish price in very near future. The study also highlights the analysis of current marketing channel related to fish seed distribution and socio-economic condition of various fish seed actors.