TECHNICAL AND ECONOMIC ANALYSIS OF WHITE SHRIMP (Penaeus vannamei) CULTURE IN THREE DIFFERENT SYSTEMS BASED ON STOCKING DENSITY

Resumen

Given the increasing global demand for aquaculture products and the necessity to enhance production systems, it is important to produce comparative evidence to inform decision-making in aquaculture investments. This is particularly relevant in contexts such as Nayarit, Mexico, where aquaculture is a key activity for local economic development. This study evaluated the technical and economic variables of three white shrimp (Penaeus vannamei) production systems in the San Blas region of Nayarit. The hypothesis was that the hyper-intensive (HI) system would have a higher benefit-cost ratio and better yields per unit area due to its high level of technology and stocking density, compared to the semi-intensive (SI) and intensive (I) systems. Using principal component analysis with VARIMAX rotation, 14 key variables were identified that reflected significant differences in production intensity, with yields ranging from 1124 kg ha^-1 (SI) to 36 409 kg ha^-1 (HI) per cycle. Results showed that the HI system had the highest total costs (USD 54 419.28 year^-1) but also the highest net income (USD 14 857.36 year^-1) due to its high stocking density and technification. However, the SI system stood out with the best benefit-cost ratio (B:C) (1.51) and an internal rate of return (IRR) of 30 %, surpassing HI (1.21 B:C, 11.56 % IRR) and I (1.66 B:C, 7.53 % IRR). Despite requiring a higher break-even point (588.89 kg cycle^-1), HI demonstrated greater efficiency in resource utilization per kilogram of shrimp produced, reducing the environmental impact. Although hyperintensive systems require higher initial investments, their profitability improves over time due to cost amortization and higher yields per unit area.