Analysis of Efficiency of the Lobster Marketing Channel in Aceh Simeulue Regency

Abstract

This study aims to identify the marketing channel and analyze the marketing performance of wild-caught lobster in Simeulue Regency, Aceh Province, Indonesia. The research was conducted using a descriptive case-study approach, with primary data collected through interviews and field observations involving four lobster fishers, one wholesaler (UD. Mahlil), one local restaurant buyer, and one outside-region buyer in Jakarta. The analysis focuses on marketing margin, marketing cost, and fishers’ share as indicators of marketing performance. The results show that lobster marketing in Simeulue is dominated by a single marketing channel, namely fishers → wholesaler → final buyers, which serves two market destinations: local and outside-region markets. For the local destination, the marketing margin is IDR 50,000/kg with an average marketing cost of IDR 20,000/kg, resulting in a fishers’ share of 80%. For the outside-region destination (Jakarta), the marketing margin reaches IDR 170,000/kg with an average marketing cost of IDR 40,000/kg, and the fishers’ share decreases to 51.43% due to higher transportation, handling, and logistics costs. These findings indicate that local lobster marketing provides a higher proportion of the final price to fishers, while access to outside-region markets offers higher absolute margins but reduces fishers’ relative share. The results indicate that the observed lobster marketing channel shows relatively efficient performance based on marketing margin, cost structure, and fishers’ share indicators.