Abstract:
A comparative study ofbio-economic feasibility ofblack tiger shrimp (Penaeus monodon)
was carried out in Dacope and Paikgacha Upazila ofK.hulna district, Bangladesh. A total of six Ghers
(a special type of agricultural field with raised high surrounding banks/borders situated by the side
of a river) from different locations ofthe greater Khulna district were selected as study area. The
study observed the following attributes: growth, growth rate (GR), survival rate (SR), production,
production rate (PR), production cost (PC), net profit (NP), gross profit (GP), and ratio ofprofit (RP)
to total cost (TC). The size ofthe ponds in T and IT culture systems varied in size from 15 to 39 acres
respectively. No nursing practice was observed either in Tor in IT ponds. Nevertheless, fertilizers
and supplementary feeds were used in the IT culture system as post-stocking management. The pond
dike system was found to be stronger in IT ponds than in T ponds. No apparent variations of water
quality parameters were observed in T and IT ponds throughoutthe culture period The average growth
rate of shrimp was higher in T ponds than that of IT ponds while the average survival rate was found
to be higher in IT ponds than T ponds. Additionally, the average PR, PC, GP and NP was higher in
IT ponds compared to T ponds. Moreover, RP to TC per kg ofshrimp in T and IT ponds was higher
in IT ponds compared with T ponds. This study found that IT culture system was more economical
and profitable than that ofthe T culture system in terms ofNP, GP and RP to TC. However, GR was
higher in the T culture system than the IT culture system, which is attributed to the lower stocking
ofpost-larval shrimp in T ponds.