Economic feasibility of the cultivation of Amazon spotted catfish (Pseudoplatystoma spp.) in cages, in Rondônia State, Brazil

Abstract

Farmers and entrepreneurs in the northern region of the Brazil have shown interest in investing on the cultivation of the Amazon spotted catfish (Pseudoplatystoma spp.) in a system of net cages. However, the lack of information regarding the activity limits its development. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine investment and startup costs and technical and economic feasibility of the cultivation of this species in cages system in the state of Rondônia. The study determined the theoretical total production cost per kilogram of fish, for implementing 50 cages of 18 m³. To obtain the average total cost of kilogram of fish production, the methodology of the total cost of production was used. Based on technical data obtained directly from the productive sector, there were used juveniles with an initial average weight 0.1 kg, reaching a final stocking biomass s of 42 kg m^-³, survival rate of 95%, feed conversion of 1.98, final average weight of 3.0 kg and growth period of 12 months. The cage system production demonstrated economic feasibility, with a total investment of R$ 182,201.20. The average total cost of producing of 33,949 kg of fish was R$ 7.27 kg^-1, the average sale price was of R$ 7.38 kg^-1 and the net profit, of R$ 3,655.92 per year. The period of return on capital was of 3.15 years and internal return index, of 19.04%, over project’s horizon of six years.