Shifting from paddy production for aquaculture: An economic study in a selected area of Bangladesh

Abstract

Shifting rice cultivation to aquaculture is a burning issue of agricultural land use policy in Bangladesh. The study was conducted to identify the reasons for change the paddy farming to fish culture and relative profitability of both enterprises randomly selected 50 sample farmers from Mymensingh district in Bangladesh. Primary data were collected through field survey. Mostly tabular analysis was done to achieve the objectives. To determine the net return of fish and rice production, profitability analysis was applied. The findings revealed that 70% of the respondents belonged to the age group of 30-64 years and average annual income and expenditure were Tk. 2333234 (US$ 24874.56) and Tk. 2025860 (US$ 21597.65), respectively. About 96 % of the respondents said that the profit motive was one of the main reasons to shift rice farming to aquaculture. Per hectare per/season gross margin and net return were Tk. 545994 (US$ 5820.83) and Tk. 487494 (US$ 5197.16), respectively for fish culture and Tk. 16404.00 (US$ 174.88) and Tk. 7064.00 (US$ 75.31), respectively, for rice cultivation. The BCR of fish culture and rice cultivation was 1.86 and 1.07, respectively (Full cost basis). Lower profit and scarcity of labour in harvesting period were the main problems faced by the rice farmers. Diseases and high feed cost were the main problems faced by the fish farmers. The fair price of paddy and the supply of paddy harvesting machineries need to be ensured by the government and other agencies to make profitable agribusiness by the rice farmers.