Tuning Different Input Costs of Mud Crab Fattening and Analysis of Its Profitability

Abstract

The present study was conducted in Kalapara and Galachipa upazilla under Patuakhali district, from February to April 2015 during dry season by using a structured and pre-tested interview schedule in order to assess their current input practices with its profitability analysis. A total of 50 households from Kalapara and Galachipa (25 from each) were randomly selected. Comparatively higher stocking density 4879.01 (kg/ha) was found in Kalapara upazilla than Galachipa (4063.2 kg/ha), The cost and return analysis revealed that average gross revenue was 11.29 lac BDT/ha/crop in two areas. Higher revenue was recorded in Kalapara upazilla (13.19 lacBDT/ha/crop) followed by Galachipa (9.37 lac BDT/ha/crop). The net margin of crab fattening were 6.42 lac (BDT/ha/crop) in Kalapara and 4.48 lac (BDT/ha/crop) in Galachipa with average production cost ratio of 1.95 and 1.93 respectively. Treatment-1 and Treatment-2 with three replications in each area to compare the fattening system were done by 30 cages, partitioned into 16 compartments. Single adult non-gravid female crab (204.42 ± 2.58g) was stocked into each compartment of the cages and 80 crabs (204.42± 2.58g) were also stocked into earthen pond at 2 individual/m². Survival rate of crab was found 93.75 ± 6.25% and 86.12 ± 2.16% respectively in cages and encircled earthen area. Significantly higher production of crab from cages (3.30±0.08 kg/m²) was recorded than the encircled earthen area (0.37±0.01 kg/m²). Comparative benefit-cost analysis showed that bamboo cage fattening attained higher net profit (Tk 91,630.00) than in encircled earthen area (Tk 9,345.00) from 12 crops (12-16 days per crop) fattening period. The present study revealed that mud crab fattening using bamboo cage might be better than encircled earthen area with fencing in Bangladesh.