Economics and Factors Affecting Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) Production in Kashmir

Abstract

The present study was conducted during the period 2014-15 and a sample of 60 trout farmers, 30 each from two districts namely Ganderbal and Anantnag interviewed using a pre-tested questionnaire. The investigation revealed that fixed capital investment on sample farm was ₹6.25 crore per hectare and ₹1.25 lakh per raceway. The major share of investment was for the construction of raceway, which accounted for 67.60 percent of total investment on sample farms. The share of total variable and fixed cost was 75.32 percent and 24.68 percent, respectively to the total cost. Feed was the major cost component accounting for about 45.35 percent of the total cost and key factor in deciding profitability of trout farming. Resource use efficiency showed that feed was over utilised while labour was underutilised. The return to scale in trout production of 1.25 indicates increasing returns to scale in trout production. High price of feed and seed are found to be the major constraints in trout culture. The B-C ratio worked out to be 1.80, indicating the economic feasibility of trout farming in the Kashmir valley.