ANALYSING TECHNICAL AND FINANCIAL ASPECTS OF GIANT FRESHWATER PRAWN Macrobrachium rosenbergi (De man, 1879) CULTURE IN BRACKISH WATER AREA OF TRA VINH PROVINCE

Abstract

This study was conducted through the interview of 48 households applying alternative system of the giant freshwater prawn and shrimp farming in Tra Vinh province. The study aimed to evaluate the effects of different factors on the efficiency of the prawn farming in order to contribute to sustainable development ofthe faming system in the brackish water area of the Mekong Delta. The results showed that the pond was in average area of 0.8 ha; water salinity varied in range of 1-10 ppt during prawn farming. Prawn stocking density was 9.0 inds./m2, and all of the prawn were fed with pellet feed or combined with by-products andtrash fish. After 5, 6 months of culture, average prawn yield of 886 kg/ha/crop and net income of 68 millions VND/ha/crop were achieved. Prawn farming covered only 28.5% of total production cost of the whole system including prawn and tiger shrimp but contributed up to 44.1% of total net income of the prawn -tiger shrimp system. A total of 89.6% of prawn farming households succeeded in getting net income, compared to 81.3% for tiger shrimp farming households. Inaddition, the study also found that factors such as water salinity, pond preparation, seed nursing and feeding methods strongly affect to the efficiency of prawn farming. The result indicated the great potential and feasibility for farming giant freshwater alternatively with tiger shrimp in brackish water areas of the Mekong delta.