Problems and Prospects of Fish Fry Trade in Jessore District of Bangladesh

A study was conducted to investigate the existing system of fry trade and different problems and prospects associated with this enterprise in Jessore district. A total of 82 hatchery operators and nursery owners were interviewed using a structured questionnaire. In the study period 4211.5 kg hatchling were produced in 85 hatcheries in this area of which 80% were reared in the same area. Average price of per kg hatchling were Indian major carpsTk.1200 to 1800, Chinese carp Tk. 1200 to 1600 and Thai sharpunti and pungusTk. 900 to 1200. A total 1621 lacs of 1-4" sized fry was produced during the study period. Among them Indian major carp 864.3 lacs (53.32%), Chinese carp 621.9 lacs (38.36%), Thai sharpunti and pangus 134.8 lacs (8.32%). The fry mortality was observed 24 % (± 1.92) due to improper management. The aratdar and middlemen were controlling the marketing system. As a consequence, fry traders and nursery operators have been facing several problems in this business. The main constrains were lack of capital (35%) followed by lack of technical knows-how (27%) faced by fry traders. The nursery operators faced the problems like lack of capital (31%), high lease value (25%), high price of production inputs (17%), terrorism (12%), intense market competition (9%) and the lack of policy support (6%). As Jessore contributes fifty percent of total fry and fingerling production in Bangladesh, therefore, the stakeholders should focus on the trade issues, otherwise fish supply would be interrupted as a whole.