Patuakhali

Establishment of modern dry fish plant may rake in foreign exchange

The establishment of a modern dry fish processing plant on the Kuakata beach has the potential of raking in huge sums of foreign exchange each year while ensuring hygienic dry fish production. Dry fish is locally called ‘shutki’.

 “It’s not possible to sell all the fish caught. A part remains unsold and rots, wasting fishermen’s labour and resources,” said sources.
 Thousands of fishermen of the southern region catch about 58,000 tonnes of fish from the sea every year. In winter, many fishermen catch fish mainly to make dry fish. But traditional drying methods are used in Kuakata in the absence of a modern dry fish preservation facility. This often leads to deterioration of the commodity and financial losses. To prevent this, many fishermen fall back on the use of harmful insecticides to prevent rotting and rely on the nature.
 Dry fish is mainly produced in the coastal districts of Patuakhali and Barguna in the southern part of the country. 
In the drying season, thousands of tonnes of dry fish are produced in Kuakata, Mahipur, Kawarchar and Khalgora under Kalapara upazila of Patuakhali district;  Sonar Char, Haser Char and Jahajmara Char under Rangabali upazila of Patuakhali district; and Patharghata, Kumirmara, Haringhata, Agarchar and Taltoli of Barguna district.
 Fishermen use five-to-six feet high platforms made of bamboo mats to dry the fish.
 Trader Abbas Kazi, 48, says he erects such platforms in early October, takes advance payment from wholesalers, buys fish and then dries them in the sun.
 In some cases, the fishermen do the drying themselves. The area where the work is done is known as ‘shutki palli’, where the dry fish sells cheap.
 No arrangements for marketing and processing dry fish have yet been made in the coastal areas. If the government or any private company takes the initiative, the biggest dry fish-processing centre in the country can be set up at Kuakata. Such infrastructure could help the government earn huge amounts foreign exchange.
 Big marketing centres of dry fish are currently located in Chittagong, Cox’s Bazaar and Khulna. Wholesalers who pay advance to the fishermen supply dry fish to the marketing stations at the end of the dry season.

Patuakhali

Establishment of modern dry fish plant may rake in foreign exchange

The establishment of a modern dry fish processing plant on the Kuakata beach has the potential of raking in huge sums of foreign exchange each year while ensuring hygienic dry fish production. Dry fish is locally called shutki. Its not possible to sell all the fish caught. A part remains unsold and rots, wasting fishermens labour and resources, said sources. Thousands of fishermen of the southern region catch about 58,000 tonnes of fish from the sea every year. In winter, many fishermen catch fish mainly to make dry fish. But traditional drying methods are used in Kuakata in the absence of a modern dry fish preservation facility. This often leads to deterioration of the commodity and financial losses. To prevent this, many fishermen fall back on the use of harmful insecticides to prevent rotting and rely on the nature. Dry fish is mainly produced in the coastal districts of Patuakhali and Barguna in the southern part of the country. In the drying season, thousands of tonnes of dry fish are produced in Kuakata, Mahipur, Kawarchar and Khalgora under Kalapara upazila of Patuakhali district; Sonar Char, Haser Char and Jahajmara Char under Rangabali upazila of Patuakhali district; and Patharghata, Kumirmara, Haringhata, Agarchar and Taltoli of Barguna district. Fishermen use five-to-six feet high platforms made of bamboo mats to dry the fish. Trader Abbas Kazi, 48, says he erects such platforms in early October, takes advance payment from wholesalers, buys fish and then dries them in the sun. In some cases, the fishermen do the drying themselves. The area where the work is done is known as shutki palli, where the dry fish sells cheap. No arrangements for marketing and processing dry fish have yet been made in the coastal areas. If the government or any private company takes the initiative, the biggest dry fish-processing centre in the country can be set up at Kuakata. Such infrastructure could help the government earn huge amounts foreign exchange. Big marketing centres of dry fish are currently located in Chittagong, Coxs Bazaar and Khulna. Wholesalers who pay advance to the fishermen supply dry fish to the marketing stations at the end of the dry season.