ABSTRACT

This study examined the economics of catfish production in Abia State of Nigeria. A multi stage random sampling method was used to select 60 catfish farmers from all the three agricultural zones of the state. Data, which comprised information on the socio economic characteristics and other quantitative variables, were collected using a well-structured questionnaire and interview schedule. The socio economic characteristics and constraints to catfish production were analyzed using descriptive statistics such as percentages, mean and frequencies. Descriptive analysis revealed the mean age of the respondents to be 44.33 years, mean of the household to be 6 persons and 100% of the respondents to be Christians. Results obtained from the socio economic characteristics of the respondents also showed that the study area was dominated by male catfish farmers. The major constraints of catfish farmers were high cost of feeding, poor access to credit and mortality due to pest and diseases. Budgetary analysis was used to determine profitability of catfish production in the study area with an average total cost ofNl,221.358.38. average revenue of N2,226,664.67and net return of N1,005,306.29 which showed that catfish production is a profitable enterprise. Regression analysis was used to determine factors influencing profitability of catfish production. The result from the regression analysis revealed the coefficient for depreciated cost of pond construction and cost of feed was significant at 1% and positively and negatively related to output. Amount spent on labour! salary was significant and positively related to profitability at 5% significance while the coefficients of age, access to extension. experience and education were negatively signed but not significant. Cost of fingerlings was positively signed but not significant. Some recommendations such as the need for government to provide infrastructural facilities to reduce cost of investment and the need for farmers to form viable cooperative groups so as to reduce cost per head of production were suggested.