Fish Farm Project Cost: 1-Acre Carp Pond and Biofloc Unit

Costed tables from ICAR, NABARD, PMMSY and NFDB for a carp pond and a 7-tank biofloc unit, with each year and every sum shown.

Updated: 3 October 2026

A published ICAR trial costed one hectare of carp pond at ₹3,27,640 for an 8-month crop and sold the fish for ₹5,04,800, a net of ₹1,77,160. That is about ₹71,700 net per acre, before digging the pond. A small biofloc unit of 7 tanks is costed by NFDB at ₹7.5 lakh, but the booklet's income figure does not agree with its own stocking numbers.

Seed, feed and fish prices vary by state, season and fish size, and every price below is from the year shown. Check today's rates for fingerlings, feed and fish at your nearest hatchery, feed dealer and mandi, and redo the sums. See also the fish farming overview and species page.

One hectare of carp: ICAR trial, 2020

ICAR NEH Region, Tripura, stocked catla, rohu and mrigal (4:3:3) at 7,500 per hectare for 8 months. Per acre figures divide by 2.47 (1 hectare = 2.47 acres) and are rounded to ₹10.

Item	Per hectare (₹)	Per acre (₹)
Pond lease	25,000	10,120
Pond clearance	30,000	12,150
Lime	12,000	4,860
Cow dung manure	23,000	9,310
Fertilisers	6,825	2,760
Fingerlings	18,000	7,290
Feed	1,30,815	52,960
Labour	72,000	29,150
Miscellaneous	10,000	4,050
Total cost	3,27,640	1,32,650
Fish sold: 2,524 kg at ₹200 per kg	5,04,800	2,04,370
Net: 5,04,800 minus 3,27,640	1,77,160	71,720

Feed is ₹1,30,815 of ₹3,27,640, about 40% of cost; the feed conversion ratio was 2.25.
₹200 per kg is a local market price in Tripura, not a farm-gate rate. The cost includes a ₹25,000 lease line and excludes pond construction.
Source for the same trial: pabda replacing mrigal raised the net to ₹2,23,466 per hectare because pabda sold at ₹500 per kg.

The older NABARD model, 2013

Capital: ₹1,06,500 per hectare, of which digging is 40 hours x ₹1,200 = ₹48,000 and a 3 HP diesel pump ₹30,000. Per acre: about ₹43,100.
Yearly running cost: ₹1,12,375, including feed 6,000 kg x ₹12 = ₹72,000 and 5,000 fingerlings x ₹5 = ₹25,000. Per acre: about ₹45,500.
Income: ₹2.00 lakh a year from 4,000 kg, which implies ₹50 per kg. Net: ₹2,00,000 minus ₹1,12,375 = ₹87,625, about ₹35,500 per acre.
These are 2013 prices, so feed at ₹12 per kg and fish at ₹50 per kg are out of date. The 2020 trial above is the better guide for running costs.

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Digging a new pond: PMMSY ceilings

PMMSY pays 40% (60% for SC, ST and women) of actual cost up to these ceilings (Sept 2020 booklet). A pond must be at least 1.5 m deep with perennial water, and no money is given for land.

Component	Ceiling per hectare (₹)	Per acre (₹)	40% per acre (₹)	60% per acre (₹)
New grow-out pond	7,00,000	2,83,400	1,13,400	1,70,000
Inputs for a new freshwater pond	4,00,000	1,61,900	64,800	97,200

Small biofloc unit: 7 tanks, NFDB booklet

Seven tanks of 4 m diameter and 15,000 L each, on 200 m2, for GIFT tilapia: 80% survival, feed conversion 1.2, 6 months, 500 g fish, 2 crops a year, ₹130 per kg. The booklet does not print a year.

Capital item	Cost (₹ lakh)
7 tarpaulin or fibre tanks at ₹25,000	1.75
Shed material and fixing	1.20
Borewell (3 HP)	1.00
PVC pipes for air and water	0.75
Nets and accessories	0.15
Blower (1 HP), air stones	0.30
Electrification	0.10
Generator (2 kVA)	0.45
Weighing balance	0.10
Miscellaneous	0.20
Capital total	6.00
Inputs for one crop (seed, feed, probiotics, test kits)	1.50
Project cost	7.50

The balance line prints ₹0.10 lakh against a rate of ₹5,000; the printed total is used here.

Income: the booklet's numbers do not agree

The booklet states "100 per m3" and also "1,000 per 15,000 L tank". These give different crops. Feed uses 1.2 kg per kg of fish at ₹30 per kg, the rate the same booklet uses for its larger models.

Reading	Fish stocked	Harvest (80% survive, 500 g)	Gross at ₹130 per kg	Feed needed and cost
1,000 per tank	7 x 1,000 = 7,000	7,000 x 0.8 x 0.5 = 2,800 kg	₹3,64,000	3,360 kg, ₹1,00,800
100 per m3, 1,500 per tank	7 x 1,500 = 10,500	10,500 x 0.8 x 0.5 = 4,200 kg	₹5,46,000	5,040 kg, ₹1,51,200

The booklet's own harvest of 4.2 t and ₹5.46 lakh fits only the second reading. There, feed alone (₹1,51,200) is above the booklet's whole ₹1.50 lakh input allowance, before seed (10,500 x ₹4 = ₹42,000), probiotics, carbon source and power.
On the first reading, feed plus seed (₹1,00,800 + ₹28,000 = ₹1,28,800) leaves ₹21,200 of the ₹1.50 lakh for everything else. Gross margin per crop is ₹3,64,000 minus ₹1,50,000 = ₹2,14,000.
Two crops on the first reading: 2 x ₹2,14,000 = ₹4,28,000, less depreciation at 15% of capital (₹90,000) and 12% interest on ₹7.5 lakh (₹90,000) = ₹2,48,000 before repaying loan principal. The booklet's ₹4.975 lakh uses the 4.2 t reading and a depreciation line of ₹0.975 lakh, while 15% of ₹6.00 lakh is ₹0.90 lakh.

Biofloc risks

The sources used publish no failure rate for biofloc units, so none is given.
Power: a blower keeps the water moving, and every NFDB model includes a generator (₹45,000 for the 7-tank unit). Electricity is not itemised for it.
Carbon source: daily, at 600 g per kg of feed. For 3,360 kg of feed that is about 2 tonnes a crop; the booklet gives no price for it.
Temperature: the booklet specifies 26 to 34 °C. An ICAR murrel trial at 15 to 28 °C grew fish to only about 150 g in 10 months, slowest in winter.
Skill: floc volume must be checked (25 to 35 ml per L for fish) and ICAR notes intensive fish farming quickly spoils water. An ICAR paper adds that catfish farming runs at marginal profit.
Paperwork and market: PMMSY requires a project report with bank consent, and seed, feed and market are the farmer's sole responsibility. Tilapia also needs a state permit.

Paying for it

On the 7-tank unit's ₹7.5 lakh ceiling, 40% is ₹3.0 lakh and 60% is ₹4.5 lakh, leaving ₹4.5 lakh or ₹3.0 lakh to arrange. See subsidy and loans, Kisan Credit Card for working capital, and the EMI calculator.

Sources

More in this guide

Fish subsidy and loans Fish species

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

How much does it cost to run one acre of carp pond? +

An ICAR trial in Tripura (2020) cost one hectare at 3,27,640 rupees for an 8-month crop including a 25,000 rupee lease line. Dividing by 2.47 gives about 1,32,650 rupees per acre. Feed was about 40 percent of the cost. Pond digging is extra.

How much profit does a carp pond give per acre? +

The same trial sold 2,524 kg per hectare at 200 rupees per kg for 5,04,800 rupees, a net of 1,77,160 rupees per hectare, about 71,720 rupees per acre. The 200 rupee price was a local market price in Tripura, so replace it with your own rate.

What does it cost to dig a new fish pond? +

The 2013 NABARD model put capital at 1,06,500 rupees per hectare. PMMSY now allows up to 7,00,000 rupees per hectare for a new grow-out pond, about 2,83,400 rupees per acre, and pays 40 percent (60 percent for SC, ST and women) of actual cost up to that.

How much does a small biofloc unit cost? +

NFDB costs a 7-tank unit (4 m tanks of 15,000 litres) at 6.00 lakh rupees capital plus 1.50 lakh rupees inputs per crop, 7.50 lakh in all. PMMSY pays 40 percent (3.0 lakh) or 60 percent (4.5 lakh) of that ceiling.

Is biofloc fish farming profitable? +

It depends on which stocking figure in the NFDB booklet is used. At 1,000 fish per tank the gross is 3,64,000 rupees a crop; at 1,500 per tank it is 5,46,000 rupees, but feed then uses up the whole input allowance. The sources used publish no failure rates.

What can go wrong with biofloc? +

The system depends on a blower and a generator, daily carbon source (600 g per kg of feed), and water at 26 to 34 degrees. An ICAR murrel trial grew slowly in winter. PMMSY also leaves seed, feed and market to the farmer.