Consumer preferences for oyster trait attributes in China: A choice experiment

Consumers are the ultimate value realizers of aquatic germplasm resources. Their choice preferences for a species trait are the endogenous driving force for constructing a long-term utilization mechanism for marine resources. So, this study gauges customer preferences and willingness to pay for various aquatic oyster trait qualities to provide marketable information for oyster breeding. We collected primary data from selected major cities in Shandong Province, China. Based on the choice experiment method, the data were analyzed using a mixed logit model and a latent category model to identify consumer preferences and willingness to pay for oyster trait at-tributes (shell shape, size, thickness, and color). We find that customer preferences for oyster characteristics vary widely. The highest willingness to pay was for the shell size trait, and the results were still significant after the information intervention. Next, the consumers' preferences for oyster trait attributes also differed between the low-market-value base consumers (70.5%) and the high-market-value market consumers (29.5%). In conclusion, this research offers recommendations from several angles to give breeders focused and practical references in identifying and protecting aquatic germplasm resources.