Another important market channel interposes a wholesaler between 

 the shoreside shrimp plant and the processor in the distribution chain. 

 This wholesaler functions primarily as an assembler. His operation may 

 be separate and distinct or it may be combined with those of the other 

 agents in the distribution chain. 



A third and more direct channel is used in the distribution 

 of fresh shrimp. Fresh shrimp may go directly from the shoreside 

 plant to the wholesaler in the consumer market or even to the local 

 retailer in the landing port. 



More often fresh shrimp are assembled from several shrimp 

 plants by a wholesaler in the production area. The port wholesaler 

 channels the shrimp into the consumer market. Fishermen's cooperatives 

 often function in this manner. 



The physical movement of the goods from one handler to another 

 may or may not be accompanied by a title transfer. In certain instances, 

 the boat owner retains title to the shrimp through to the consumer market. 

 This may be the case when the shrimp are sold directly into the fresh 

 market and the raw shrimp plant acts merely in a service capacity or when 

 a processor-boat owner packs under his own name. If the shrimp plant 

 performs the assembling function, using the services of a public freezer 

 for storage, it may take title from the fisherman and retain it through 

 to the retailer. The same may be true of a canner, freezer or breader 

 who may hold title from the time he receives his supply of raw shrimp 

 \antil his product is distributed in the consimer market. 



Essentially, the choice of the channel through which the shrimp 

 flow is influenced by the scale of operations of the agents in the dis- 

 tribution chain, their geographic location, and the form in which the 

 shrimp are marketed. As a handler's scale of operations increases, so 

 does his ability to integrate certain marketing functions with his 

 business. Similarly, the distance between the producing port and the 

 consvmsT market determines the need for intermediary assemblers and 

 sales organizations. The relative perishability of the product is the 

 third factor bearing on the choice of a market channel. The greater 

 the danger of spoilage, the more direct is the channel that has to be 

 chosen . 



Fresh Shrimp 



Most of the shrimp marketed fresh in the United States 

 originate in the States of Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and South 

 Carolina. The bulk of the fresh shrimp is destined for New York City 

 or for one of the large cities situated on or near the truck route from 



