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The Economics of Pla Sawai (Pangasius Sutchi Fowler) Production Under an Integrated Pig-Fish System in Pathumthani Province, Thailand
Thesis Abstract:
A recall survey of 33 fish farms in seven districts of Pathumthani Province, Thailand was undertaken to determine the economics of pla sawai (Pangasius sutchi) production under an integrated pig-fish system.
Five aspects of Pangasius production were examined, namely: demographic characteristics of farmers/operators, production practices, costs and returns, production technology, and efficiency of input use. The profitability of the farms was analyzed using the following financial measures: net operating income, net farm income, and net profit.
The cost structure of farms was dominated by variable costs which contributed about 82 percent of the total fish production cost. In general, the fish culture operations of integrated pla sawai farmers were profitable. However, the pig growing operations were found to be unprofitable, mainly because of low prices of fattened pigs coupled with increased prices of inputs, especially feeds.
A Cobb-Douglas production function was employed to analyze the production technology of Pangasius production under an integrated pig-fish system and under two fish production systems.
In the input-output model developed for all farmers in the province, 92.48 percent of the variation in output could be explained by stocking density, manure loading rate, supplemental feeds, size and age of pond, hired labor, operating costs, amount of capital investment, and experience of farmers. However, only stocking density, manure loading rate, supplemental feeds, age of ponds, and operating costs were found top be statistically significant.
Farmers could obtain higher profits if stocking density is increased and by reducing manure loading rate and the quantity of supplemental feeds.