Economics and Determinants of Fish Production and Its Effects on Family Income Inequality in West Tripura District of Tripura

Abstract

Fish has long been an important source of food for people all over the world. The importance of fish as a source of high quality, balanced and easily digestible proteins, and essential amino acids is well understood. Fisheries sector occupies a very important place in the socio-economic development of India. It has been recognised as a powerful source of income and employment generator as it stimulates growth of a number of subsidiary industries. This sector provides livelihood to seven million fishers, is a prime mover of coastal economy and is a good source of foreign exchange earnings. Fish is an important item of food to almost all the people (about 95 per cent) of Tripura (Sarkar, 2002). The aqua-resources of Tripura include reservoirs, lake, river and rivulets (10,000 ha), ponds/tanks (9,072 ha) and mini barrages (4,270 ha). All these aqua-resources comprise only 2.22 per cent of the total geographical area of the State. There were about 93,870 fish farmers in the State during 2001-02. The paucity of reliable economic information on fish production is felt all over the world. To quote Pillay (1990), “Despite the basic importance of economic viability, a very little attention has been paid to this aspect and the promotion of aquaculture has suffered considerably for lack of appropriate data and documentation of relevant evaluation”. The present study is an attempt to fill in the information gap to some extent. This study was undertaken in West Tripura district of Tripura during the period 2003-04 with the following objectives:(i) to study the cost and return structure of fish production in Tripura; (ii) to find out the determinants of fish production in the study area, and (iii) to assess the effects of income from fish production on family income inequality.