PROFITABILITY OF SHRIMP FARMING: A STUDY IN SOME SELECTED AREAS OF BANGLADESH

Abstract

The study was conducted to examine the profitability of shrimp farming in Bagerhat and Khulna district of Bangladesh. Besides, attempt had given to examine the factors influencing the shrimp cultivation and toidentify the constraints faced by smallholder cultivators in the study area. Bagerhat and Khulna districts were selected purposively for the study on the basis of extensive shrimp cultivation. A total of 120 shrimp cultivators were randomly selected to conducting farm level survey with pre-tested questionnaire.Data were collected during 1 st November to 31 st December, 2017. After analysing the data, per hectare gross return, net return and gross margin were found to be Tk. 300900, Tk. 231468 and Tk. 273269, respectively. Total cost of shrimp production was calculated at Tk. 154608 per hectare. Benefit Cost Ratio (BCR) was found 2.497 for shrimp farming. Thus, it was found that shrimp farming was highly profitable. Production function analysis suggested that, among the variables included in the model, cost of human labour, cost of fingerling and cost of feed had a positive and significant effect on gross return of shrimp production. On the other hand, cost of lime had a positive and insignificant effect on gross return of shrimp production and cost of urea and cost of TSP had a negative and insignificant effect on gross return of shrimp production.Problems faced by the farmers were ranked on the basis of corresponding means. Most of the farmers were reported that lack of capital was the main constraint for their shrimp production.