WWW.WAS.ORG • WORLD AQUACULTURE • MARCH 2026 51 LP has been used in African and Indian contexts (Jacob and Paulraj, 1987; Nath and Talukdar, 2014), but applications in Bangladesh remain limited. Our study fills this gap by developing a context-specific LP model to minimize feed cost for carp without compromising nutritional adequacy. According to Porchelvi et al. (2018), linear programming (LP) is used to optimize decision-making processes. LP provides a proven mathematical approach to determine the least-cost combination of ingredients that meet all required nutritional standards. This study aims to create a nutritionally balanced diet that meets established requirements for carp growth, at the lowest possible cost, using locally available ingredients. By doing so, we aim to demonstrate how small-scale farmers and feed producers in Bangladesh can increase profitability by optimizing feed ingredient selection to meet nutritional requirements at minimum cost. Also, we estimate the potential savings for fish farmers and feed processors in Bangladesh from adopting the suggested feed ingredient mix. Methods This research was conducted in Bangladesh’s context of carp polyculture, targeting adult carp (rohu, catla, and mrigal) feed formulation. Information on ingredient price and availability was gathered from the local market. We collected market prices for common feed ingredients from one of the major fish feed manufacturers in Bangladesh in 2023. The study considered 14 common ingredients used in carp feeds across South Asia, including fish meal, dry fish, soybean meal, maize, poultry meal, rice polish, de-oiled rice bran (DORB), mustard oil cake (MOC), wheat, soybean grain, distiller’s dried grains with soluble (DDGS), corn gluten meal (CGM), vitamin-mineral premix, and salt. These prices (in Bangladeshi Taka, BDT) were cross-verified with data from local traders and other literature to ensure they reflected prevailing market conditions. For consistency, we converted all costs to USD using an exchange rate of 1 USD = 110 BDT, the official exchange rate during the data collection period. The nutritional constraints used in the linear programming (LP) feed formulation model were established based on published guidelines for Indian major carps, specifically mrigal (Cirrhinus mrigala), as well as widely recognized international standards (Nath and Talukdar, 2014; FAO, 2023). Cost Savings The LP solution selected a minimal set of ingredients: poultry meal (0.08 kg), rice polish (0.13 kg), and mustard oil cake (MOC; 0.60 kg) to meet the nutritional targets for a 1 kg batch. The total feed cost for this optimized feed ingredient mix was calculated at 36.13 BDT per kg (0.32 USD per kg). Notably, no fish meal, dry fish, soy meal, maize, or vitamin premix was included in the optimal solution. Our analysis suggests that the current practice of fish ingredient combinations is not cost-effective for meeting the protein, fat, and moisture requirements under current market conditions and the specified constraints. This result is consistent with previous studies highlighting the potential for significant cost savings through optimized ingredient selection. The cost of the feed producer from the data collection was 46.32 BDT per kg (0.42 USD per kg). Thus, applying LP optimized feed ingredients can reduce the cost by $0.10 (i.e., 22%) per kg (Figure 1). Applying linear programming optimized for feed formulation could potentially lead to a substantial reduction in feed costs for carp polyculture systems, as shown in Table 1. Specifically, the feed cost would decrease from USD 2,710.92 to USD 2,114.52 per hectare per year. Consequently, the total variable costs would decline from USD 5,745.28 to USD 5,148.89 per hectare per year. Importantly, all other variables and fixed costs remained unchanged, confirming that the cost savings could be entirely attributable to the optimization of feed formulation. This reduction in feed cost would also contribute to a decrease in the overall production cost, with the cost of production potentially falling from USD 1.62/kg to USD 1.52/kg at the same productivity level (5,632 kg/ha). Such cost savings at the farm level can directly improve profit margins for farmers, enhance economic sustainability, and increase the competitiveness of aquaculture operations. Moreover, since feed typically accounts for nearly 30% of total production costs in carp farming, optimizing this component through scientifically based feed formulation offers a practical and high-impact strategy for the sector. These findings are consistent with previous studies, which highlight that feed cost minimization using linear programming can result in significant economic gains in aquaculture production systems. Projected National-level Cost Savings According to the Yearbook of Fisheries Statistics of Bangladesh 2022–2023, total pond-based carp production was 769,582 metric tons in 2022-23, comprised mainly of rohu (330,520 tons), catla (219,379 tons), and mrigal (219,683 tons) (Table 2). Figure 2 projects national-level cost savings under various feed FIGURE 2. Annual cost savings potential in Bangladesh carp farming through the adoption of an optimized fish feed mix. Source: Authors’ calculations. TABLE 2. Carp production in Bangladesh in ponds in 2022-23. Species Production (Metric tons) Rohu 330520 Catla 219379 Mrigal 219683 TOTAL 769582 Source: DoF (2024) (CONTINUED ON PAGE 79)
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