4. Production, economics and marketing

4.1 Production
4.2 Economics
4.3 Marketing

4.1 Production

4.1.1 Fish production

The major aquaculture projects in Bangladesh, both ongoing and recently completed, report various ranges of production. The Aquaculture Extension Project in Mymensingh (1988-93) achieved an average production of 4,500 kg/ha. in 1995 as against the national average of 1,400 kg. Another project, Strengthening Rural Pond Fish Culture Extension Services (1994-96) reports 4,100 kg (Kumar, 1995); while the Second Aquaculture Development Project (1991-96) achieved in 1995 an average production of 5,000 kg/ha. A comparison in respect of some technological measures of the above three projects is given in Annex 4. The total aquaculture production in 1993-94 was 264,190 mt of which the share of fish was 235,888 mt or 89 percent of the total (DOF, 1993-94).

4.1.2 Shrimp production

The marine shrimp culture demonstration activities under the ADB-supported Second Aquaculture Development Project (1991-95) produced variable results. Those in Khulna and Satkhira were consistently good largely because the environmental parameters in this region remained more stable than in other areas. Table 15 presents shrimp production data for 1991-95 under the project. In 1993-94 aquaculture produced 28,302 mt of shrimp.

Table 15. Trend of Bagda culture demonstration results, 1991-95

YEAR	Average production of Shrimp (kg/ha)
	1991	1992	1993	1994	1995
Satkhira	254 (205)	296 (183)	360(306)	352 (311)	356 (335)
Khulna	154 (153)	377 (328)	357 (307)	329 (294)	269 (254)
Bagerhat	144 (100)	202 (123)	204 (180)	186 (132)	washed away
Cox’s Bazar	250 (242)	-	304 (277)	157 (116)	320 (231)
Average	195 (166)	291 (199)	314 (272)	302 (254)	347 (306)

NOTE: Figures in parentheses represent Bagda production only.

Table 16: Trend of Galda-fish polyculture demonstration results 1992-95: Average production (kg/ha), by year)

District	1992		1993		1994		1995
	Galda	Fish	Galda	Fish	Galda	Fish	Galda	Fish
Bagerhat	350	269	475	537	419	879	913	640
Khulna	-	-	586	339	577	1,115	746	965
Satkhira	-	-	-	-	204	1,117	-	-
Gopalganj	-	-	-	-	-	-	675	874
Pirojpur								NA

4.2 Economics

4.2.1 Fish culture

The economics of operation of an average pond under three development projects and of a pond under FRI’s own management are shown in brief in Table 17. It is indicated that profit from fish culture in ponds under good management may reach Tk.80,000-130,000/ha/yr.

Table 16. Estimated earning and costs of four carp culture technologies. (All figures average/ha/yr.)

Item		Extension project Mymensingh (DANIDA)	Strengthening extension service (FAO)	2nd Aquaculture Dev. (ADB)	FRI * (FRI 1994)
A. Sales proceeds (Taka)		Tk.35 × 4500 kg =157,500	Tk.33 × 4100 kg =135,300	Tk.37.87 × 5334 kg =201,998	Tk.35 × 5000 kg =175,000
B. Operating cost (Taka)		75,000	44,335	70,216	71,965
	- Pond dewatering repairs, rent, etc.
	- Lime
	- poison
	- Manure
	- Fertiliser
	- Feed
	- Fry/Fingerling
	- Harvesting
Miscellaneous
C. Gross profit (A-B) (Taka)		82,500	90,965	131,782	103,035

Source: Fish Fortnight Supplement 1994, Fisheries Research Institute.

The shrimp culture type promoted under the Second Aquaculture Development Project (ADB) is improved extensive type. The average operational cost per ha of this type of demonstration farm was Tk.56,500 in Satkhira, while the sales proceeds from the corresponding area of water averaged Tk.124,000 in the case of tiger shrimp culture in 1995. The profit/ha/yr was Tk.67,500 (Table 18).

Table 18. Summary of Bagda demonstration results: District Satkhira

Parameters		1991 (5)	1992 (5)	1993 (10)	1994 9 ponds	1995 7 ponds
1 Exportable shrimp prodn. (kg/ha)	Ave.	255	296	360	352	356
	Range	99-357	248-351	240-576	297-470	268-408
2 Bagda prodn. (kg/ha)	Ave.	205	183	306	311	335
	Range	74-285	145-214	200-560	220-469	260-400
3 Input (DOF) (Tk/ha)	Ave.	12,000	21,215	19,716	18,808	56,427
	Range	9,220-19,333	17,588-23,171	18,957-1,549	13,912-19,910	33,690-77,790
4. Sales proceeds (Tk/ha)	Ave.	42,530	42,099	76,245	87,759	124,454
	Range	12,229-58,500	33,830-52,463	42,970-141,825	72,400-141,033	88,883-134,318

Galda-carp polyculture demonstrations in Khulna under the same project showed an average profit of Tk.87,000 ha/yr in 1995. The average operating cost was Tk.118,000 and the sales proceeds Tk.205,000. Some relevant data are indicated in Table 19.

Table 19. Summary of Galda-fish polyculture demonstration results: District Khulna

Parameters		1993	1994	1995
1 Galda prodn. (kg/ha)	Ave.	586	577	746
	Range	299-828	412-939	557-1,260
2 Fish prodn. (kg/ha)	Ave.	339	1,155	965
	Range	75-760	511-1,538	429-1,374
3 Input (DOF) (Tk/ha)	Ave.	87,788	62,966	117,806
	Range	76,251-120,137	62,374-65,850	117,405-118,035
4. Sales proceeds (Tk/ha)	Ave.	156,814	156,814	205,014
	Range	79,010-210,380	172,616-279,507	153,250-321,967

4.3 Marketing

Fish and shrimp are marketed in varied forms, e.g., live fry and fingerling for culture, fresh, dried, cured, and frozen fish for domestic consumption. Most of the export items are shipped in frozen condition.

In recent years about 3,900-4,000 million shrimp fry and 78,400 kg of carp spawn have been traded domestically. They change hands between the collection points (rivers, surf, hatcheries) and the final stocking ponds, with several intermediary groups involved. Transportation systems are mostly traditional, slow and crude; and these account for huge losses of valuable shrimp and fry resources. More than 33 percent (1,300 million) of the shrimp fry (estimated at 3,900 million) suffer handling and transportation mortalities, while at least another 50 percent (1,300 million) of the stocked fry (estimated 2,600 million) suffer post-stocking mortalities because of handling stress during transport. Even at a conservative rate, fry mortality accounts for a financial loss of over Tk.2,600 million.

Estimates of the loss of carp spawn and fry due to inadequate transportation and marketing system are not available. But comparing the spawn production data and the country’s combined fish production through aquaculture and artificial stocking programmes, it is clear that there is huge waste of the fish seed resources.

Fish marketing is carried out at different levels: primary and secondary distribution points and terminal cities. The private sector almost entirely controls fish marketing. Fish from the village ponds reach the consumers through a series of middlemen: commission agents, wholesalers and retailers. There is evidence of traders’ widespread exploitation of fisherpersons and fish farmers. This exploitation cannot be easily reduced unless fishfarmers (and fisherpersons) are provided with adequate credit and marketing facilities and until they can develop a collective marketing system. It is generally believed that 10-12 percent of the finfish catch are spoiled because of inadequate facilities for fish preservation, transportation and marketing. The BFDC plays a small role in fish marketing.