Fish consumers in the pioneer northern Region of the State of Paraná

Abstract

The social, economic and cultural situation and the habits and preferences of fish consumers are analyzed. The municipalities focused for current research are Bandeirantes, Cambará, Santo Antônio da Platina, Andirá, Cornélio Procópio and Itambaracá, within the meso-region of the so-called Pioneer Northern Region of the state of Paraná, Brazil. Three hundred and forty-six structured questionnaires with seventeen multiple choice objective questions, featuring qualitative and quantitative variables, were handed out. Results show that 92% of the interviewed people ate fish; 55% earned more than three Brazilian minimum wages; 41% went to secondary school and 66% of the families comprised between three and five members. Mean fish consumption reached 18 kg/inhab/year; 54% of interviewed were over 40 years old; 37% preferred fish fillet; mostly prepared as fried fish. Moreover, the main obstacles for increase in consumption for 53% of the interviewed were high prices and non-availability of the product. The supermarket was the preferred place for purchase. Consumers in the Pioneer Northern Region of the Paraná have a relevant preference for fish, with a high capacity for per capita consumption increase even though supply and prices are strategic issues which require investigation.