Profitability of fish culture in Benue State: A prelude to a thriving fish culture enterprise in Nigeria
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Date
2006
Authors
Lawal, W.L.
Umeh, J. C.
Obinne, C. P. O.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Benue University, Makurdi, Nigeria
Abstract
The study analyzed the profitability of fish culture in Benue state, Nigeria. The state was administratively divided into zones A, B and C. Data were collected from 196 randomly sampled fish culturists out of which 148 culturists with economic data were analyzed. The data were analyzed using simple descriptive statistics and net profit analysis. The results of the study indicated that variable costs cover about 93-95 percent of the total investment. This implies that the profit can be maximized by the use of cheap and effective alternative variable inputs, for example, the use of family labour; instead of the costly hired labour; and the use of cheap refuse from animals instead of inorganic fertilizer. The results also showed that fish culture was profitable in the study area despite the low standard of stocking density. Zone B was the most profitable, being located in the urban area, where the price of fish is relatively higher. The results also revealed that the practice of polyculture and earthen ponds generally generated a higher rate of returns on the investment than the practice of monoculture and concrete ponds. However, the difference in the rate of returns in the investments, among, investors adopting different fish culture technologies was not statistically significant at 5% level of significant. Fish culture technologies are still at its infancy in the state. These results encourage individuals to own homestead fishponds as this can give rise to revenue generation and increase in the supply of fish in the State. The Government using agriculture extension strategies may infuse some fish culture technologies into the state fishery sub-sector, given the high potential fish culture in the study area, cheaper sources of protein, employment and income generations and therefore, poverty alleviation become the potential gains from the improved fish culture enterprise.
Description
Scholarly Article
Keywords
Earthen Ponds , Fish Culture , Fish Production , Polyculture , Profitability , Research Subject Categories::SOCIAL SCIENCES::Social sciences::Education
Citation
Lawal, W.L., Umeh, J. C. & Obinne, C. P. O. (2006). Profitability of fish culture in Benue State: A prelude to a thriving fish culture enterprise in Nigeria. The Journal of Economic and Social Research. Department of Economics, 4(1), 128-141.