PROFITABILITY ANALYSIS OF CAGE FISH CULTURE: A STUDY IN CHANDPUR DISTRICT, BANGLADESH

Abstract

Fisheries sector in Bangladesh has been playing a vital role in the economy of Bangladesh from the time immemorial. The contribution of agricultural sector to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is about 14.2 percent in the FY 2017-18 of which fisheries sub-sector contributed about 3.61 percent to the broad agricultural sector Gross Domestic Product. The overall objectives of the present study were to examine socio-demographic profile of fish producing farmers, to assess profitability and cage fish farming. Chandpur district was selected for the study on the basis of extensive cultivation of fish. Simple random sampling technique had been used for collecting data from 106 sample farmers through interview schedule. After analyzing the data, net return, and gross margin were found to be Tk. Tk. 13680 & Tk 28680, respectively. Total costs of fish production were calculated at Tk. 48320 per cage fish production. Benefit Cost Ratio (BCR) was found to be 1.59 for cage fish farming. Thus it was found that cage fish farming was highly profitable. This study also identified some of the problems and constraints associated with cage fish farming. These were categorized into economic, technical and social problems. Problems faced by the farmers were ranked on the basis of corresponding percentages.