Evaluating the Economic Viability of Inland Seafood Markets in Georgia: A Two Pronged Approach

There is a lack of information regarding the barriers preventing Georgia seafood producers from taking advantage of a presumed market premium in inland markets. Using a two-pronged approach, we estimated the willingness to pay (WTP) for locally caught Georgia seafood (clams, crab, oysters, shrimp, and grouper) sold in either farmers markets or through community supported agriculture outlets in the Atlanta-Athens area. We then estimated the costs per pound associated with targeting inland markets using an enterprise budget framework. This cost data, combined with the WTP data, provides a more holistic picture of the potential profitability associated with transporting Georgia-caught seafood inland to in-state consumers. While our analysis suggests inland markets could be economically viable for shrimp, we also identified factors hindering the development of inland markets.