Economic returns of disease-affected extensive shrimp farming in southwest Bangladesh

One hundred and two brackish water shrimp farms in Shyamnagar Upazila of Satkhira District, Bangladesh, were surveyed to study their costs and returns. Key data were collected, using a questionnaire survey from January to August 2002. Profitability of operations was affected by fluctuating yields and prices due to diseases, and generated economic risk. The average total cost of production per hectare was 63,437.57 Bangladeshi taka (tk) (US$1,084.40/ha). The farmers achieved a variable yield of black tiger shrimp (Penaeus monodon), ranging from 7.48 kg/ha to 455.03 kg/ha, with a mean yield of 146.39 kg/ha, through multi-stock and multi-harvest methods. The gross and net incomes per hectare were tk49,999.87 (US$854.69) and tk40,307.04 (US$689.01), respectively. Of the total biomass, 44% came from P. monodon, while the rest (23% and 33%) came from other shrimp and finfish respectively. The return to total cost of P. monodon was a negative profit (tk0.78).