A STUDY ON PROFITABILITY OF RAINBOW TROUT (Oncorhynchus mykiss) FARMS IN MARMARA REGION, TURKEY

Abstract

In this study, annual income-expenditure data of land based rainbow trout farms in Marmara Region is evaluated. The farms in the region are classified as small, middle and large farms ac- cording to their production capacities. Profitability calculations are conducted on the base of production capacities of farms and integration level of farms from hatchery to restaurants. Data are received from farms through inquiry forms filled by owners and laborers after visits and interviews. Calculations show that the juvenile fish trading income in large farms provides 24.7% of the total income in average. The portion fish trading income in the middle farms is 78.4% of the total income. The average income obtained from fish sales to customers by serv- ing in their own restaurants is 46.6%. These percentages are the highest income parameter for each capacity class. Expenditure calculations show that juvenile fish purchase, feed consump- tion, investment and labor costs reach approximately 75% of total expenditure for all categories of farms. Therefore, the expenditures obtained from juvenile fish purchase, feed consumption, investment and labor costs are the main parameters of total expenditures. Juvenile fish and feed expenditures increase with the increase in farm capacity but labor and investment costs don't increase with the scale of the farms. The net profitability percentages of small, middle and large farms are 58.7%, 67.3% and 76.0%, respectively. The results showed that the economic profitability of land based rainbow trout farms in Marmara Region of Turkey significantly in- creases with increasing production capacities of farms.