SWATY KHANDKER1, MOHAMMAD KAMRUZZAMAN2 and BADIUZZAMAN3*
1Department of Agricultural Economics, 2Department of Agricultural Economics, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University, Salna, Gazipur 1706, Bangladesh and 3Department of Economics and Sociology, Patuakhali Science and Technology University, Dumki, Patuakhali-8602, Bangladesh.
*Corresponding author’s Email: bzaman_pstu@yahoo.com
ABSTRACT
The study was conducted at the Department of Agricultural Economics, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University, Salna, Gazipur 1706, Bangladesh during 2011-2012 to provide a comparative understanding of the profitability and resource use efficiency of shrimp and prawn farming individually. Despite a significant contribution to the economy, most research often does not distinguish between prawn and shrimp farming. The data were collected through an interview schedule with shrimp farmers particularly in the Satkhira and the Bagerhat District of Bangladesh. A total of 60 farmers, 30 each from brackish water shrimp and freshwater shrimp (prawn) farming, were randomly selected and interviewed directly using a structured interview schedule. Data were analyzed using descriptive methods and stochastic frontier analysis. The study found that prawn farming showed a higher benefit-cost ratio (1.27) than shrimp farming (1.23). The empirical results indicate that the coefficients of some variables were positive and significant, and some were negative and significant. The study suggests that prawn farming is more profitable than shrimp farming and increased use of pesticide, fry and irrigation enhanced prawn production, while shrimp farming benefited from increased fertilizer and shrimp fry use.
Keywords: Freshwater shrimp, Brackish water shrimp, Profitability and Resource use efficiency.