Feed conversion and feed economics for pangasius.
2 Answers
Pangasius is a feed driven crop, so feed is by far your largest cost and the feed conversion ratio (FCR) decides your profit. With good quality floating pellets and proper feeding management the FCR is usually reasonable, but overfeeding, poor quality feed or bad water quickly worsens it and your cost per kilo of fish rises. Because the fish are stocked dense, even a small worsening in FCR across the whole pond adds up to a big cost. Use good feed, feed to appetite without wastage, and keep water quality stable so the fish keep eating well. Treat FCR and feed cost figures as ranges that depend on your feed brand and management. Get realistic feed cost and FCR expectations from local pangasius farmers and your Fisheries department before planning your budget.
My profit lived and died on FCR. Good pellets and not overfeeding kept my cost per kilo down. The season I used cheap feed, growth slowed and my real cost went up.