TY - BOOK AU - Meera Raj R R AU - T Paul Lazarus (Guide) TI - Capture production and economic performance of Inland fisheries in Kerala U1 - 630.33 PY - 2022/// CY - Vellayani PB - Department of Agricultural Economics, College of Agriculture KW - Agricultural Economics KW - Inland fisheries KW - Farmers in pond fish production N1 - MSc N2 - The present study entitled “Capture production and economic performance of inland fisheries in Kerala” was carried out in the Department of Agricultural Economics, College of Agriculture, Vellayani during the period 2019-21 to study the trend in production of inland fish and to study the economics of pond fish production in Alappuzha district. The socio-economic characteristics of farmers were also studied during the time period. An attempt was also made to identify the marketing channels and to analyse the constraints faced by the farmers in pond fish production. The study was mainly done in Kerala using secondary data collected from the Directorate of Fisheries, Vikas bhavan, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala and annual reports of the Department of Fisheries, Government of India, while the primary data was collected from Alappuzha district as the district secured a major position in inland fish production during 2019-20. Alappuzha had 4 fisheries units, out of which Mannar unit witnessed higher inland pond fish production. Ten grama panchayats from Mannar unit were selected for study which included Puliyoor, Budanoor, Purakkad, Thekkekara, Ala, Venmony, Mannar, Thiruvanvandoor, Mulakuzha and Palamel due to greater number of pond fish farmers in these grama panchayats. From each of the grama panchayats, 6 farmers were selected at random for the purpose of study. The socio-economic characteristics of the farmers were studied based on age, gender, education, occupation, family size, land holding size, experience in inland pond fish production and pond area. The analysis showed that 50 per cent of the farmers who undertook fish production belonged to the category of old age with more than 50 yrs. Least participation was found to be from the young generation within 30 yrs of age. Majority of the farmers undertaking pond fish farming were males and this constituted about 67 per cent. Females constituted only 33 per cent but they took part in the day-today activities involved such as feeding fishes, pond maintenance etc in the ponds. The analysis of educational status of the farmers revealed that 33 per cent of them had predegree/Higher Secondary level. None of them were found to be illiterate and a good chunk of them ie. 30 per cent were graduates. In the surveyed area, 27 per cent of the farmers primarily practised pond fish farming and considered it as a primary source of 133 income. The survey revealed that 80 per cent of the farmers belonged to nuclear families whereas 12 farmers from a total of 60 were part of joint families. Ninety per cent of the farmers had less than 20 cents of pond area, and 10 per cent had more than 20 cents and each pond was managed by a group of 2 or three farmers so as to reduce the burden of more financial investment. Total land holding survey of the sample farmers revealed that 55 per cent of the farmers owned less than 1 acre whereas 28 per cent owned between 1-2 acres and the rest owned more than 2 acres. Sample respondents had experience of 2-4 yrs of pond fish farming with a mean value of 2.4 yrs. The data obtained for 20 yrs from 2000-01 to 2019-20 of India when analysed, it was observed that there was a steady increase in the inland fish production attaining a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 6.85 per cent. When the data pertaining to inland fish production in Kerala was analyzed for 20 yrs from 2000-01 to 2019-20, it was revealed that CAGR was 6.74 per cent showing an increasing trend over the years. CAGR obtained for Alappuzha district from 2004-05 to 2019-20 was 10.40 per cent and was found that Alappuzha showed increasing inland production over the time period compared to other districts in Kerala. Kottayam showed highest CAGR with 17.92 per cent and Palakkad is lowest with -0.61 per cent. The economics of pond fish cultivation when studied, it was observed that the initial investment accounts to a total amount of Rs. 35,18,705 per acre; 33 percent was contributed by the purchase of tarpaulin followed by pond construction (31 per cent). Rest of the cost were involved for farm building construction, frame, input-output pipes, CCTV, weighing balance etc. The variable cost involved in the pond fish production amounted to Rs. 16,85,631 per acre. Feed cost contributed to 39 per cent of the total variable cost followed by labour cost which was 32 per cent. Other variable cost contributing factors included seed, manure, lime, solution kit, maintenance, depreciation, interest on working capital and fixed capital. Family labour contributed to 80 per cent of total labour requirement. Average returns when calculated accounted to 19,763.52 kg from three fish species cultivated namely Pangassius, Tilopia and Anabus. The cost of production of Pangassius, Tilopia and Anabus was worked out to be Rs.145.80, 202.34 and 311.85 respectively. The total returns obtained was Rs. 134 35,84,446.40 per acre attaining a discounted benefit cost ratio of 1.08 and variable cost benefit cost ratio of 2.13 which showed that pond fish production is economically feasible. The resource use efficiency of pond fish production of revealed that labour, seed and feed were significantly contributing to the yield with an R2 value of 0.90. Usage of lime was found negatively affecting the yield. It was found that other than solution kit, all resources were underutilized in the production process. There were two marketing channels in the marketing of inland fish in the study area of which 80 per cent of the produce was marketed through channel 1 ie. through producer – consumer and the rest through producer-retailer-consumer. High cost of feed and inadequate supply of quality fingerlings were the major constraints found in the production side whereas price fluctuation and less demand for Pangassius were found to be the important constraints in the marketing side of inland fish production. The study observed that pond fish farming was an economically feasible project. In the light of analysis made from the study, it was observed that if the government provides adequate incentives for feed to all inland fish farmers, it may attract more young people to inland fish farming. Furthermore, the government may promote fish hatcheries in the district so that it can supply quality fingerlings to the fish farmers. Steps may be taken by the concerned authorities to provide insurance schemes so that farmers can insure the fishes as the producers are facing huge losses due to several factors like diseases and adverse climatic conditions ER -