Economic Viability of Cat Fish Production in Oyo State, Nigeria

The study was conducted in Ibadan metropolis, Oyo State. Sixty farmers were selected using simple random techniques drawn from five local government purposively selected from the study area. Structured questionnaire was used to collect information from the respondents; statistical analysis was accomplished by means of frequency distribution, percentages, gross margin analysis, profitability ratio and multiple regression technique. The result of the analysis showed that the average total cost per kilogram of fish was N204.00 and the average total revenue per kg of fish was N 308.00k. This gives a gross margin of N194.60 per kilogram of fish produced. The result also revealed that there is a significant relationship between total revenue and cost of feed, years of farming experience, size of pond and labour. The study also showed that the sum total of elasticities of variables was less than unity (i.e. 0.801), which indicates that fish production in the study area is in stage II, which is the rational stage of production. Due to expensive nature of flow-through and re-circulatory ponds, earthen ponds were mostly preferred by majority (46.7%) of the fish farmers in the study area.