200
C. F. HICKLING
three examples of fishponds in Java, is 63%, 7.7%, and 11.7%. This
seems only a moderate return on risk capital. Answering the question,
how many acres of brackish-water fishponds are needed to provide a
living for a family, these authors calculate that 4 acres will give as
good a living as a man would get as a labourer, but that the man would
be self-employed, and not a hired labourer, which would be a matter
of importance to him. Moreover, he could undertake some other work,
and have perquisites such as firewood and crabs, nipa palm leaves for
sale as roofing material, and he could keep a couple of goats. All these
add up to a better life than the bare cash figures would suggest.
Schuster emphasizes that the ponds do not want for takers, when, as
sometimes happens, they become available.
A. Need foi- a large pond area
Lin (1968) gives an account of the finance of brackish-water fish
farming per hectare in Taiwan, which, as the preceding section shows,
has the highest rate of production, with a maximum of 2 500 kg/
hectarelannum.
Per hectare, he estimates income at 33 300 and costs at 27 300
Taiwan dollars, showing a net profit on production of 21%. This may
sound good, but when the salary of the operator is added, there is
little left for profit or for reserves. If, in English terms, we assume
2s. per lb for these well-priced fish, and a pond giving 2 000 Ib/acre,
then the pond earns $200 gross, and the net profit will be sE42 per
annum. Obviously, no one could live on the earnings of one acre of
ponds on this rate of production. Lin considers that any pond unit of
less than 10 hectares must be regarded as a part-time or subsistence
occupation, and that only units of more than 50 hectares are fully
viable. However, for these bigger units considerable capital outlay
and working capital are needed.
Caces-Borja and Rasalan (1967) give data as to the rate of production of ponds in the Philippines. One hectare of pond will gross 599
pesos when growing Chanos alone, 896 when growing Chanos and
" sugpo " prawns, and 1 250 pesos when growing " sugpo ') alone.
(1 U.S. dollar = 3.85 pesos.)
The Division of Fisheries of Singapore operated a 14-acrz prawn
pond during the four years 1954-58, in order to get some data on the
probable profitability of the prawn-farming industry there. They
found that the average monthly gross income was just over Malayan
dollars 750. The capital cost of embankments, sluices, nets, huts and
sheds, etc. was Malayandollars 12 840, and the sale of produce amounted
to 42 921 lb of prawns, fish, and crabs, sold for Malayan dollars 35 963.
C. F. HICKLING
three examples of fishponds in Java, is 63%, 7.7%, and 11.7%. This
seems only a moderate return on risk capital. Answering the question,
how many acres of brackish-water fishponds are needed to provide a
living for a family, these authors calculate that 4 acres will give as
good a living as a man would get as a labourer, but that the man would
be self-employed, and not a hired labourer, which would be a matter
of importance to him. Moreover, he could undertake some other work,
and have perquisites such as firewood and crabs, nipa palm leaves for
sale as roofing material, and he could keep a couple of goats. All these
add up to a better life than the bare cash figures would suggest.
Schuster emphasizes that the ponds do not want for takers, when, as
sometimes happens, they become available.
A. Need foi- a large pond area
Lin (1968) gives an account of the finance of brackish-water fish
farming per hectare in Taiwan, which, as the preceding section shows,
has the highest rate of production, with a maximum of 2 500 kg/
hectarelannum.
Per hectare, he estimates income at 33 300 and costs at 27 300
Taiwan dollars, showing a net profit on production of 21%. This may
sound good, but when the salary of the operator is added, there is
little left for profit or for reserves. If, in English terms, we assume
2s. per lb for these well-priced fish, and a pond giving 2 000 Ib/acre,
then the pond earns $200 gross, and the net profit will be sE42 per
annum. Obviously, no one could live on the earnings of one acre of
ponds on this rate of production. Lin considers that any pond unit of
less than 10 hectares must be regarded as a part-time or subsistence
occupation, and that only units of more than 50 hectares are fully
viable. However, for these bigger units considerable capital outlay
and working capital are needed.
Caces-Borja and Rasalan (1967) give data as to the rate of production of ponds in the Philippines. One hectare of pond will gross 599
pesos when growing Chanos alone, 896 when growing Chanos and
" sugpo " prawns, and 1 250 pesos when growing " sugpo ') alone.
(1 U.S. dollar = 3.85 pesos.)
The Division of Fisheries of Singapore operated a 14-acrz prawn
pond during the four years 1954-58, in order to get some data on the
probable profitability of the prawn-farming industry there. They
found that the average monthly gross income was just over Malayan
dollars 750. The capital cost of embankments, sluices, nets, huts and
sheds, etc. was Malayandollars 12 840, and the sale of produce amounted
to 42 921 lb of prawns, fish, and crabs, sold for Malayan dollars 35 963.