Economic analysis of tilapia-carp polyculture in a selected area of Bangladesh

Abstract

Aquaculture is moving on the way of intensification to fulfill the increasing demand of protein as capture fisheries are declining. The study was conducted to identify the socioeconomic characteristics, analyze the tilapia-carp polyculture system, profitability of tilapia-carp polyculture, and credit profile of the stratified randomly selected 50 sample farmers from Sherpur district in Bangladesh. Primary data were collected through field survey using an interview schedule. Some statistical measures like average percentage and ratios were calculated. The findings revealed that 36% of the respondents belonged to the age group of 25-29 years, 68% belong to medium family size (5 to 6 people), 44% respondents’ education level was higher secondary, 44% respondents’ primary occupation was fish farming and 46 % of were belonged to in annual income level of Tk. 150001-200000 ($1770 - $2360). Average fingerlings released in the tilapia-carp polyculture were 24240 per hectare per year. Most of the fingerlings collected from private hatcheries. The annual per hectare production of tilapia and carp were 8028 kg and 11085 kg., respectively. Per hectare per year gross cost, gross margin, gross return and net return were Tk. 1093008 ($12897), Tk. 759447 ($8961), Tk. 1735455 ($20477) and Tk. 642447 ($7580), respectively. The BCR of tilapia-carp polyculture for cash cost was 1.78 and full cost was 1.59. About 20% of the respondents took loan from different sources and they received 84.51% of their applied amount and 84.73 % of the loan money used in productive purposes. Mortality of fingerlings, the high price of the ingredient, low price of fish, high interest rate and non-availability of good quality fingerlings at proper time were identified to be the major problems in conducting pond fish production. Government and other agencies should come forward to provide subsidized feed, technical supports and credit facilities for the tilapia-carp fish farmers to make the enterprise effectively.