An Analysis of Asymmetric Price of Tuna Fish at West Sumatera Province

*Published : Journal of Economic and Indonesian Development Vol. XI No. 1 Juli 2010. Faculty of Economic, Indonesia University

Abstract : The limited number of auction agents of tuna fish and the lack of infrastructure in auction centre trigger the occurance of third parties in marketing system. The collusion on price among agents occurs in auction centre especially in high tuna fish harvest season. The asymmetric information of price of tuna fish beginning from agent to consumer has occurred for a long time in West Sumatra and even in various region in Indonesia. This causes challenge to the development of fisheries and also causes the poverty  among fisherman that is difficult to minimalize. The aim of this research was to analyze the asymmetry of price of tuna fish at agents, sub-agents and retailers coming from three auction centres toward four regional markets in West Sumatra. Methodology used in this research was Boyd and Brorsen’s theory by using data on daily price of tuna fish. The result of this study reveals that asymmetry of price was found at auction centre in West Sumatra. This result indicated that the increasing of price at sub-agents was not followed with the increasing of price at agents. However, the increasing of price at sub-agents was directly followed with the increasing of price at retailers.

Keyword : Asymmetry of price, Tuna fish , Boyd and Brorsen’s theory, Auction market

JEL Classfication : C52, Q22, Q13