Delicious Food. How to Launch Sturgeon Farm
Black caviar is not just expensive; it is also very useful for our health. Natural caviar is rich in minerals, vitamins and proteins. There are several types of this product: “golden caviar”, “almas”, stellate sturgeon caviar. Each caviar type has its own taste and complex of useful qualities. Sometimes the price for 1 kg of this delicious product may reach several dozens of dollars.
Taking into account relatively high price, the market of black caviar is saturated in our state for only 12-15%. It’s a pity, but there are a lot of smuggled and falsified products. Capture of sturgeon fish is prohibited. That’s why the only legal way to produce black caviar is to organize fish farm. Such enterprises operated in our country in 2000ies and gave good profit. Nevertheless, the crisis of 2008 forced some market operators to close their enterprises. At the present time sturgeon farming sector in Ukraine starts its gradual rehabilitation. Thus, the market needs new enterprises. Sturgeon breeding business is a rather expensive investment. Nevertheless, it will ensure your own relative niche and existence of permanent clients with the income above average.
To Begin with
If you decided to invest in sturgeon farm, first you have to understand the principles of organization and operation of the future company. There are several types of sturgeon breeding:
1. In basin.
2. CWSS (closed water supply system, it is shown on the figure below).
3. In nurse ponds.
The second type is the most profitable due its numerous advantages:
1. Possibility to breed fish of any variety.
2. Small water consumption – 5% daily.
3. Sale of aquaponic products.
4. Absence of negative impact on environment.
5. Higher efficiency of financial costs for fodder.
6. Fish health.
Weight of caviar in fish of sturgeon family reaches about quarter of live weight of the fish. Breeding speed is 5-6 years (in case of CWSS use). In nature the sturgeon gives caviar in the age of 10-12 years.
Analysts of Pro-Consulting company will help you to determine more in details the most efficient way of fish breeding (taking into account all factors). Information about production process of the future enterprise should be mandatory included in the business plan.
Financial Parameters
Fish farm profitability directly depends on the enterprise scale. Purchase of equipment (CWSS) is the most expensive item of costs, amounting to $100-150 thsnd. This amount includes calculation of purchase of 100 m3 module for 10 tons of sturgeon output. 50 tons of sturgeon will cost $500 thsnd. Main costs required to launch the farm are shown on the figure below.
Approximate structure of costs for organization of sturgeon farm with capacity 50 tons of fish per year (in case of existence of premise), %
Construction of appropriate premise is the other costly part of the total budget. Investment may reach approximately $80-125 thsnd for 50 tons of sturgeon output. Upon receipt of all permissive documents, adjustment of equipment and temperature regimen the process of cultivation may be started. At this stage of farm development main costs will be slightly different.
Structure of operating costs in process of sturgeon farm operation, %
Depending on the fish variety, CWSS capacity, fodder supply organization and efficiency of formation of distribution channels (mainly to the foreign states), enterprise payback period varies within the limits of two – five years.
Sturgeon market is at the stage of its formation in Ukraine. Sturgeon caviar is a rather rare product, and people are ready to purchase it not only on internal, but on international market as well. These factors determine promising character of sturgeon farm organization in our state. If production is organized properly, a new and full-scale sector may develop and cause its positive influence on the national economy.
