How To Find Buyers For Our Fish

[mellow1]

The wife's fish farm is doing pretty well. We have tried various ways of doing things, and constantly looking for ways to improve. The wife has a few costumers, but mainly small quantities, 10 or 20 Kilo at a time. She has 2 tank systems, but is only running one at this time. She can easily grow out 3-4 Tons at a time, 3 times a year. The main thing is finding buyers. We are located in Isaan, between Nang Rong and Buriram, closer to Buriram. Any ideas or contacts appreciated.

[esbkk]

There are simply too many professional fish farms in Thailand.

It will take time to establish a continuous supply chain to bigger retailers who all seem to be served already.

[RedBullHorn]

Here i am again....

It's actually quiet simple....The day you bought your fingerlings from the fries supplier is also the day you establish the wholesalers contact, just ask the supplier for their contact numbers before you commit any transaction (squeeze them for the number!) they usually have a handfull of them contacts. "yes yes!!! you buy my fingerlings...no problem, buyer many many....here phone numbers...you phone him, him and him...ok ok...you ok i ok..." LOL

3-4 tons onwards...it would be wise to sell them all off to the wholesalers than to fight for a piece of the retailer pie...breeders should concentrate on supplying and achieving the number of harvest cycles per year, let the wholesalers do all the marketting work.

Don't work too hard, relaxe, we're here to enjoy life in LOS...

Edited June 10, 2010 by RedBullHorn

[mellow1]

Here i am again....

It's actually quiet simple....The day you bought your fingerlings from the fries supplier is also the day you establish the wholesalers contact, just ask the supplier for their contact numbers before you commit any transaction (squeeze them for the number!) they usually have a handfull of them contacts. "yes yes!!! you buy my fingerlings...no problem, buyer many many....here phone numbers...you phone him, him and him...ok ok...you ok i ok..." LOL

3-4 tons onwards...it would be wise to sell them all off to the wholesalers than to fight for a piece of the retailer pie...breeders should concentrate on supplying and achieving the number of harvest cycles per year, let the wholesalers do all the marketting work.

Don't work too hard, relaxe, we're here to enjoy life in LOS...

Will do as you say RBH, although my wife tried exactly that, with the guy who sold her these fingerlings. He give her the number of a "wholesaler", with no truck, who wanted to buy at 30 or 32 Baht/K, and wanting gas money too.

I would think that for the next 3-4 months there would be a demand for fish, since most of these ponds are just getting some water now.

You are correct in selling to wholesalers, and that is what she is trying to do.

I don't plan on working too hard, after all that's why I pay a couple of people around here to do.

Thanks once again for your input.

[RedBullHorn]

Been close to central region could be the reason for the price per kg which you are getting (pellet feed transportation cost) you really need to check those prices, Mellow. Up north in Chiang Rai, farmgate price currently at 40 THB/kg. the further you are the better the price due to higher pellet feed cost, but sadly...retailer price of a kg of fishes remain the same, not that the wholesalers are getting more profit, the price discrepancy work out to be their gas money.

[Foreverford]

Been close to central region could be the reason for the price per kg which you are getting (pellet feed transportation cost) you really need to check those prices, Mellow. Up north in Chiang Rai, farmgate price currently at 40 THB/kg. the further you are the better the price due to higher pellet feed cost, but sadly...retailer price of a kg of fishes remain the same, not that the wholesalers are getting more profit, the price discrepancy work out to be their gas money.

King of the Pla Mr. Red bull on the horn this is the first time to thank you but so many thanks ofor all your previous nd continuing help and info.with your info you can make a brainless dolt into a fish farmer (actually the reason I'm going to try is i feel I AM QUAlified) (also my typing proves it). How much worth of fingerlings (weight and baht) do you think it takes to getr their attention and then be able to acquire a few legitimate wholesaler's phone numbers.

[RedBullHorn]

As small as 10'000 fingerlings is a good start, price for fingerling as per season- dry season : most expensive and minimum FOC due to begining cycle of the year ( no fries during cold season) wet season : not expensive and price per fry/fingerling negotiable and FOC, near cold season and window period : cheap, price negotiable and FOC. 2'' - 3'' inches about 35 satang/fingerlings, 3'' - 4'' inches about 55 satang/fingerling, 4'' - 5'' inches about 70 satang/fingerling, (pls note that this are the best prices i can get in Chiang Rai region only, i don't know about other region. I can't get any lower but i do squeeze them on the FOC, it's between 5 - 8% and i'm a regular customer)

Make sure to get the supplier to assure you can make claim if it dies in mass...like 2 - 3'000 after 2-3 days being release to the pond. But don't blame it on the supplier if you didn't prepare your pond properly or if you did it wrong. Fingerlings usually will stabilize after 5 days in a new pond (Earthen pond)

Once you get hold of the wholesalers, bombard them with queries and questions, check their pellet feed brands, grades and prices if they have any and compare them to the fingerlings supplier. For fresh fish farmer to be, recommend you buy the pellet feed from the wholesaler if price different by 20-30 THB per sack, to bind them to honour the deal of harvesting your fishes when the time comes. After you become a seasoned fish farmer and sure footed and have many contacts, then you could seach for better feed price alternately.

I've befriend feed company sales reps and wholesalers along the years and build trusts until i could get pellet feed on credits ranging from 30 -60 days.

P/s : "Feeling" is a great thing....it shows confident and boost morale ! then...there's trial & error..."Tried and regret or Regretted not trying"

Edited June 11, 2010 by RedBullHorn