CONSUMPTION AND FISH CONSUMER PROFILE OF THE MUNICIPALITY OF SINOP, MATO GROSSO

Abstract

This work was carried out in the urban perimeter of the Sinop City, in the north of Brazil in Mato Grosso state. The objective of this study was to characterize the fish consumption and consumer profile, which resides in Sinop city, Mato Grosso.  About 448 questionnaires were applied in places with intense daily flow of people. A questionnaire consisted of 37 descriptive questions, covering the following points of interest: socioeconomic characteristics of the interviewee, quantification of consumption, determinants of consumption, preferences of consumption and knowledge about the production chain. Data collection was carried out from 06 February to 13 March 2017. The fish consumer profile of Sinop was formed by the factors such as: sex, age, Brazilian state of origin, schooling and family income. In general, the results indicated that the percentage of respondents who reported consuming fish was greater than 90%. Although the city is located in a region with great potential for fish production, the frequency and amount of consumption are low. The consumption of fish in Sinop is directly influenced by the family income of the consumers, cultural influence and eating habits of the colonizers of the city. The preferred species are matrinxã and tambaqui, followed by Pintado da Amazônia. Quality and price are important factors for consumption. The consumer mainly suggests the reduction of the fish´ price e and the improvement of the product´s quality and hygiene and places of fish´s sale.KEYWORDS: Fish, Market, Quality.