Saran, Sukhjeet KVeerpal Kaur2017-07-272017-07-272017http://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/5810026371Fish farming plays a major role in the economic upliftment of the rural masses in Punjab. Keeping this in view present study was planned to work out the economics of inland fish production along with factors affecting the fish production in the study area and to investigate the production and marketing constraints in fish farming. For this, Ludhiana district was selected and a sample of 60 fish farmers was selected by using random sampling technique. The results of the study brought out that growth in inland fish production was higher than marine fish production during the last three decades. The quantity of fish exports had increased more than 14 times during the last three decades. In Punjab also during the last two decades, growth in area under fish farming was almost three times more than growth in productivity. Cost-return analysis of fish farming on sample fish farms revealed that labour cost, electricity usage, diesel use and aeration cost were the major constituents of variable cost. On private fish farms, total variable cost per hectare was maximum on medium fish farms (Rs. 2,07,554) followed by small (Rs. 2,00,752) and large (Rs. 1,83,844) farms. However, on panchayati fish farms, total variable cost per hectare was maximum on small fish farms (Rs. 1,81,418) followed by medium (Rs. 1,68,448) and large (Rs. 1,63,317) farms. In overall, total variable cost per hectare was Rs. 2, 01,970 on private and Rs. 1,74,461 on panchayati fish farms. On the contrary, fixed cost increased with farm size on private and panchayati fish farms. Gross returns per hectare on private fish farms were higher (Rs. 3,15,417) than panchayati fish farms (Rs. 2,80,058). Net returns per hectare were higher on panchayati fish farms (Rs. 85,244) as compared to private fish farms (Rs. 47,936). In overall, the regression coefficients of area, marketing cost and labour were significant. The coefficient of multiple determination (R2) was higher in large fish farms as 0.96 followed by medium 0.87 and small 0.77. The major problems in production and marketing were poaching, fish diseases, flooding, less subsidy, low price, irregular payment and infrastructure facilities etc. Major policy issues brought out were: higher subsidization of fish farming, adoption of integrated fish farming and ensured regular payment etc.ennullThesis