AN INVESTIGATION ON CARP FATTENING IN NATORE DISTRICT

Abstract

A survey was conducted to assess the current status of carp fattening and the socio economic situation of fish farmers in three upazilas of Natore district: Natore Sadar, Singra, and Gurudaspur. The study took place from July 2022 to June 2023 and involved gathering information from 80 fish farmers through interview with structured questionnaires. Results showed that 40% farmers were within the 41–50 age groups, with 65% belonging to nuclear families and 35% to joint families. In terms of education, most farmers (30%) had secondary-level education, while only 14.5% were illiterate. The annual income of a significant portion of respondents ranged from BDT 1,00,000 to 2,00,000, making up 33.34% of the sample. All farmers had access to electricity, and 41.67% were members of organizations like ASA and BRAC. The study found that the majority of ponds (58.5%) in the study area were between 0.5-1.0 acres in size, with an average depth of 1.5 meter. Additionally, 70% of the ponds used for fish culture were owned by the farmers themselves, while the remaining 30% were leased. Groundwater was the primary water source for 78% of farmers, with 42% exchanging water as needed. Most farmers (57.63%) prepared their ponds and applied specific amounts of salt, TSP, and urea per hectare. Growth promoters were used by 88% of farmers to enhance carp growth, with various probiotics such as Safe gut, Navio plus, Protox aqua, Aquaphoto, and Dellomax being employed. Indian major carp and exotic carp were the preferred species for cultivation, experiencing only fish lice as a constraint during the nine to ten months of cultivation. 63.33% farmers used commercial feeds. The main obstacles identified were a lack of scientific knowledge, insufficient high-quality seeds and feeds, funding shortage and inadequate marketing facilities.