Technical efficiency of carp production in India: a stochastic frontier production function analysis

This paper aims to examine the levels and determinants of technical efficie ncy in carp pond culture in India. The stochastic production frontier techn ique involving the model for technical inefficiency effects is applied sepa rately to samples of semi-intensive/intensive and extensive carp producers interviewed during 1994-95. The results showed significant technical ineffi ciencies in carp production in India, especially among extensive farms. The mean technical efficiencies for semi-intensive/intensive and extensive sam ple farms were estimated to be 0.805 and 0.658 respectively. By operating a t full technical efficiency levels, the semi-intensive/intensive farms coul d, on average, increase their production from about 3.4 Mt ha(-1) to 4.1 Mt ha(-1). Likewise, the extensive farms could increase their production from 1.3 Mt ha(-1) to 1.9 Mt ha(-1). Much of these efficiency gains would come from improvement in the adoption of recommended fish, water and feed manage ment and monitoring practices. Besides expanding production area, the resul ts indicated several other possibilities for increasing carp production in India by increasing yields per hectare, such as: (1) increased intensificat ion of carp culture (i.e. moving from extensive to semi-intensive or intens ive systems); (2) improvement in technical efficiency at the farm level; an d (3) technological progress. However, the realization of these potentials will depend on continuous efforts by the government in ensuring an adequate supply of inputs, technology transfer and development and adequate provisi on of research, extension and credit services in aquaculture.