Feasibility of floating cage culture based on business scale in Riam Kanan Reservoir, South Kalimantan Province

Abstract

Floating cage fish culture has highly developed in Riam Kanan Reservoir, South Kalimantan and gives positive contribution to the community social economic conditions. These culture activities experienced production decline in 2017 in relation with the environmental conditions and unoptimal management. Recently the production of floating cage fish culture has gradually been increasing even though it has not still reached the previous maximum production. The production decline can influence the feasibility of the floating cage fish culture business based upon different business scale due to dissimilar expenditures and revenue at each level. This study used field survey method through interviews with the fish farmers. Number of respondents was determined using disproportionate stratified random sampling method as many as 56 people consisting of 36 respondents of small-scaled business, 11 respondents of medium-scaled business, 9 respondents of large-scale business. The primary data were analyzed using descriptive analysis and business feasibility analysis. The business feasibility analysis components comprise fixed costs, variable costs, and revenue. Data collected are one-year data containing 1 to 3 culture cycles. Results showed that the floating cage fish culture business in Riam Kanan Resevoir was categorized as feasible at all levels of business scale with mean R/C ratio of 1.12. The highest feasibility was recorded in large-scale business, followed by the medium one, and the lowest in small-scaled business, 1.17, 1.12, and 1.11, respectively. Based on the cultured fish species, the feasibility of Nile tilapia culture is higher than carp culture business at all business scales, whereas carp culture is recommended for large and medium scale business only due to being potentially harmful. Key Words: fish production, interviews, R/C ratio, Nile tilapia, carp.