PROBLEMS ENCOUNTERED IN CATFISH CULTURE BY THE FARMERS OF TRISHAL UPAZILA UNDER MYMENSINGH DISTRICT

Abstract

The objectives of this study were to describe the selected characteristics of farmers; to assess the extent of problems encountered in catfish culture by the farmers; to explore the contribution among each of the selected characteristics of farmers with their problems encountered and to compare the problems encountered by the farmers in catfish culture. The study was conducted with randomly selected 120 catfish cultivars in Trishal upazila under Mymensingh district. A pre-tested interview schedule was used to collect data from the respondents during 24 th March, 2020 to 25 April, 2020. Problems encountered in catfish culture was the dependent variable and its was measured by on basis of problem encountered scores. Problems encountered in catfish culture and the 11 selected characteristics of the respondents contributed the independent variables of the study. Multiple regression was used to examine the contribution of the selected characteristics of the respondents. The majority (60.00%) of the farmers encountered medium problem while 22.50% percent of the farmers encountered low problem. Comparatively few farmers (17.50%) encountered high problem in catfish culture. Four characteristics of the respondent’s viz. media contact for fish farming information, training exposure, level of education and organizational participation had significant positive contribution with their Problems encountered in catfish culture. On the basis of PEI, it was observed that “high price of feed” ranked first followed by “unavailability of quality feed”, “high price of vaccine and medicine”, “low production and lack of local market” and “disability of producing required fish eggs” were the least problems encountered by the farmers in catfish culture.