Economic and environmental factors affecting coastal shrimp culture in Shyamnagar Thana of Bangladesh

Author: Md. Golam Faruque

AIT Library Call Number: AIT Thesis no. HS-98-07

Year: 1998

Academic Program: Human Settlement (HS)

Type: Thesis (M.Sc.) – Asian Institute of Technology, 1998

Examination Committee: Reidar Dale (Chairperson); Jayant Kumar Routray, A.T.M. Nurul Amin (Examination Committee Members)

Abstract: Bangladesh is situated at the apex of the Bay of Bengal, where ample sources of brackish water and wild fry have placed the coastal areas in a unique position in shrimp farming. The country has a great potentiality for extending shrimp farming throughout the coastal regions. During the last few years, there has been a great shortage of wild fry as well as natural hazards which have influenced shrimp culture significantly. This study made against this factors and investigates shrimp farming in one of the coastal areas-Shyamnagar Thana. Five objectives were specified for the study: main feature of the study area, economic aspects, environmental aspects, marketing and recommendation. A field survey was done by the researcher himself and additional secondary data were collected from different sources. Data were analyzed by using SPSS and MS Excel. Farmers operate improved extensive and extensive farming techniques where per hectare production is 212 kg and 176 kg respectively. This production is much lower than in other countries (e,g., Thailand and Australia where per hectare production are 6500 kg and 6000 kg respectively). Fry and lease cost are the two economic factors which influence the shrimp culture most. Fry cost constitutes 36 percent and lease cost 35 percent of total cost. The opportunity of formal credit existing in the study area is not adequate. About 30 percent cultivators had taken credit from money lenders/traders/friends. Most of the farms are not operating well in terms of profit. This raise the question of stainability in shrimp farming in Shyamnagar. Most of the farmers stock fry in January-February and some farmers reserve fry in November-December, when fry price is low, and start to operate their farms with this reserved fry in January and February. At this time optimum temperature, salinity and pH do not exist in the water of the farm. This hampers rapid growth as well as causes stress and diseases in the shrimp farm. Additionally, a severe flood in 1995 and infestation

Scholarship Donor(s): Government of United Kingdom

Note: A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science, School of Environment, Resources and Development

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