Analysis of the Economic Aspects of Crab Catching Business in Pangkep Regency

Abstract

Blue Swimming Crab (Portunus pelagicus) has become one of the highly economically valued fisheries commodities. It is currently a cornerstone of Indonesia's exports, with crab exports increasing from USD 367.5 million in 2021 to USD 450.55 million in 2022 (DITJEN PDSPKP, 2022). The rising global demand for blue swimming crabs is a breath of fresh air for crab-related businesses in Indonesia, encouraging them to boost their production. In North Tuppabiring Subdistrict, the average price of blue swimming crabs at the collector level ranges from IDR 70,000/kg to IDR 50,000/kg. This has led many fishermen who make a living by catching blue swimming crabs to turn it into a stable source of income, providing for their families' needs. This underscores the need for research on the economic feasibility of crab fishing from the fishermen's perspective. The objectives of this study are to assess the economic impact, including income, profit, and business viability, of blue swimming crab fishing and the financial feasibility for fishermen in North Tuppabiring Subdistrict. Data analysis methods employed include Investment Analysis (TI), Cost Analysis (TC), Revenue Analysis (TR), Profit Analysis (π), Business Viability Analysis (RCR), and Financial Feasibility Analysis. The research results indicate that the average net income or profit obtained by each fisherman engaging in blue swimming crab fishing activities is IDR 2,941,000.00 per month. Meanwhile, crab processors or collectors achieve an average profit of IDR 8,700,000.00 per month per collector. The Business Viability Ratio (RCR) for both crab fishing and crab processing is greater than 1 (RCR is less than 1), categorizing both the crab fishing and crab processing businesses as viable and worthy of continuation.