Study on Comparison of Production Performance and Economics of Different Carp Polyculture Systems in Gangni Upazila of Meherpur District

Abstract

The study was conducted to evaluate the comparison of production performance and economics of different carp polyculture system in Gangni upazila under Meherpur district from July to November 2015. PRA tools such as questionnaire based interview, cross check interview were used as primary data and also secondary information were used to assess the performances in aquaculture activities. Forty pond fish farmers were purposively selected, among which 7 (18.0%), 17 (42.0%), 3 (8.0%), 7 (18.0%) and 6 (15.0%) farmers were engaged with carp-mola, carp-tilapia, carp-koi, carp-shing polyculture and carp fattening, respectively. The highest age were 32.0% and between 41 to 50 years and lowest 7.0% were 15-20 years. Majority of the farmers (97%) were Muslims. Only 28.0% fish farmer took the aquaculture as their primary occupation. On the other hand, 57.0% farmers were involved in agriculture, 8% business, 3.0% service holder and 5.0% were students. About 67.0% of fish farmers lived in nuclear families and only 33.0% lived in joint family. Majority (35%) of the respondents had semi -paka house, 32.0% had paka, 28.0% had tin-shed house and only 5.0% had kacha house. About 5.0% had no education (illiterate), 18.0% can only sign, 33.0% had primary level, 22.0% had S.S.C. level, 18.0% had H.S.C. level and 5.0% had bachelor level of education. Most of them (33.0%) had agricultural land 51-100 decimal. While 20.0% had 151-200 decimal, 17.0% had 101-150 decimal, 17.0% had 1-50 decimal, 13.0% had up to 200 decimal and no farmer found without agricultural land. Only 23% were Small ponds (5-15 decimal), about 35% were medium pond (16-25 decimal) and 40% farmers had large pond up to 25 decimal. About 65.0%, 23.0% and 12.0% farmers were having single, multiple and taken lease from others, respectively. Fish farming was the primary income source for 60% and secondary for 40% farm owners. The minimum water depths of 23% ponds were within 0.5-1.0 m, 53% ponds were within 1.00-1.5 m, 17% ponds were within 1.62.0 m and 7% ponds were up to 2.0 m respectively. Most of the farmers used fertilizer in their fish ponds during

pond

preparation. Used lime at a dose of 1 kg/decimal, Urea 200g/decimal and TSP 100g/decimal. From the survey it was found that 14 (35.0)% of the farmers applied supplementary/homemade feed prepared with ricebran and mustard oil cake, 17 (43.0%) farmers used commercial feed

and 9(22.0%) farmers were depended on

natural

feed. Average fish production of the farmers was 6274 kg/ha/yr. The highest average fish production was 7904 kg/ha/yr which net income was BDT 2,42,060 ha/yr come from carp-tilapia polyculture system and lowest average fish production was 5187 kg/ha/yr and net income was BDT 1,66,478 came from carp - koi polyculture

system. Annual income of fish farmer were varied from 61,000 to 150,000 form ha/yr BDT. It was observed that the highest 48.0% fish farmers earned BDT 120,000-150,000 per year, which was higher than the national average income BDT 99,864. From the present study it was found that out of five culture systems. The average production of carp tilapia polyculture was higher and financial benefit came from the same technology So it reveals that carp tilapia polyculture was better than other polyculture system.