Economic viability of juveniles tilapia and arugula production integrated in aquaponics in system NFT

This study aimed to evaluate the economic feasibility of implementing an aquaponic system using different stocking densities of tilapia juveniles integrated with arugula production in a Nutrient Film Technique (NFT) system. To gather data for the economic analysis, an experiment was conducted using a completely randomized 3 x 2 factorial design (densities: 20, 40, and 60 fish/m³; filter media volumes: 50 and 70 liters of expanded clay), with three replications. Each experimental unit consisted of an NFT aquaponic module. The economic analysis included calculations of net present value, internal rate of return, profitability index, and payback period. Results showed that fish stocking density significantly affects the economic viability of an aquaponic system integrating tilapia juveniles and arugula production. The price of arugula increased with higher fish stocking densities, while the price of fish remained unaffected. Stocking densities of 40 and 60 fish/m³ were found to be economically feasible, exhibiting similar internal rates of return, both higher than those observed at a density of 20 fish/m³, which was not economically viable.

Key words
Agribusiness; Production systems; Sustainability; Financial indicators