Cost and Profitability Analysis for Trout and Sea Bass Production in the Black Sea, Turkey

Abstract

The aim of the study is to determine characteristics of the farms and to measure cost and profitability for trout and sea bass productions of the mariculture farms in the Black Sea of Turkey. Farm level data in the 2005-2006 production periods were collected from four monoculture and five polyculture farms which consisted of all the active mariculture farms in the Black Sea by exact counting method by personnel interview method. Results showed that there were differences between culture systems in terms of their social, biotechnical and economic aspects. The yields of trout/m(3) in the monoculture and polyculture farms were measured to be 30.22 and 35.61 kg, respectively. However, the yield of sea bass/m(3) was 22.11 kg. While, feed conversion ratios for trout production in the monoculture and polyculture farms were 1.33 and 1.36, respectively, it was 2.27 for sea bass production. The cost of trout and sea bass production/kg were $2.58 and $4.77, respectively. The share of feed, marketing, juvenile and labor were 45.53, 13.50, 13.07 and 11%, respectively. Feed was the main cost factor (47.73%) in sea bass production. Labor, juvenile and marketing followed it with the share of 23, 10 and 7%, respectively. The net return/kg for trout and sea bass production were $0.16 and $0.48, respectively. The benefit cost ratio in sea bass production (1.10) was higher comparing to trout production (1.06).