消費者對烏魚子產品之認知及消費行為與願付價格

Abstract

烏魚產業在我國已有多年歷史，不僅具有高經濟價值更有文化價值，而隨漁撈量的減少、我國養殖技術進步，養殖烏魚產業的重要性漸趨增加，在含雌激素之變性飼料的事件引發消費者對烏魚子產品產生疑慮後，漁業署也公告禁用雌激素於飼料中並以朝向自然養殖法養殖烏魚的方向發展，然消費者對於自然養殖法的烏魚是否有較高的購買意願也將影響漁民的收益，因此本研究探討消費者對烏魚子的認知、偏好及對自然養殖法烏魚子的願付價格。 本研究主要利用選擇實驗法分析我國消費者對烏魚子的偏好，以及自然養殖法之烏魚子的目標市場與潛在客群，研究結果發現消費者對烏魚子具有異質性偏好，消費者對烏魚子屬性的偏好程度依序為「有認證及標示飼料檢驗結果」、「野生」、「低鹽」，而偏好具備上述屬性烏魚子的消費者為教育程度較高且認為飼料資訊應標示者；在敘述統計結果中也發現有約七成的消費者願意提高願付價格購買非化學激素養殖的烏魚子，平均願付比例為10%，由以上結果皆可見我國對烏魚子飼料議題之重視。 根據研究結果，本研究建議烏魚子產品除了取得認證外也應建立溯源管道，以避免疑慮發生時對整體產業的衝擊，在行銷方面，重量標示應統一單位及與調整鹹度，以利消費者依需求選購烏魚子並符合市場偏好。

Mullet roe is a traditional food in Taiwan and generates high economic value every year. As catch yields decrease, more research is conducted towards mullet culturing, but less goes towards consumers’ preference. Some research found that adding a little Estradiol to mullet feed could increase female mullet proportion from 15% to 95% in the 19th century. This technique is not often promoted for it is not compliant with the Veterinary Drugs Control Act, and yet feed production factories and fishermen have produced and used it for many years without consumer knowledge. Taiwan’s Fisheries Agency recently announced that estrogen is not allowed in mullet feed and promotes natural mullet culturing. However, research on consumers’ preferences is still absent. Therefore, this research investigates Taiwanese consumers’ cognition, consumption behaviors, and their willingness-to-pay for mullet roe. A choice experiment is employed and the choice data is analyzed with a mixed logit model, a random parameter model, and a latent class model, respectively. The results reveal that Taiwanese consumers’ preferences on mullet roe are heterogeneous and consumers place the highest value on the attribute of certification and inspection, followed by the attribute of wild, and ultimately on low-salt. According to statistical results, more than 70 percent of Taiwanese consumers are willing to pay higher for mullet roe which is estrogen-free. Therefore, Taiwanese consumers are inferred to put more emphasis on safety than flavor. To provide safer mullet roe, the traceability system of mullet roe should be established as soon as possible. Furthermore, this research suggests the same for other processed fishery products in Taiwan.