The export of dry fish from North Andhra, despite having good potential, is a largely untapped sector due to lack of awareness among fishermen and the absence of a support base for hygienic processing. An estimated 5,000 fisherfolk, mostly women, eke out their livelihood by drying ribbon fish, lizard fish, sliver bellies, anchovies, crocker ray finned fish, goat fish, sardines and other pelagic fish in Visakhapatnam, Srikakulam and Vizianagaram districts. No dry fishing yard Three to four tonnes of dry fish is produced daily on an average in the region, which is enough for local consumption. During the season, the production goes up to five to 10 tonnes per day. It takes three to four days for the wet fish to dry after applying salt on them. However, there is no dry fishing yard worth its name in the region, barring a small yard at Timmapuram where fish are dried on a platform. There is a plan to develop a modern drying yard at the fishing harbour in the city out of a Rs 40 crore outlay planned for modernisation. Solar tunnel A solar fish drying unit near Gangavaram, which was set up by the Fisherfolk Foundation, was stopped following the expiry of its land lease. The unit used to produce 280 kg of hygienic dry fish by processing 500 kg of wet fish daily. Now, with an investment of Rs 10 lakh and a 50% subsidy from the National Fisheries Development Board, one could set up a dry fishing unit using solar tunnel technology if one or two acres was allotted by the government on lease. Under the tunnel solar method, salt treated fish can be dried to a moisture content of 16-17% instead of the traditional method in which the fish can be dried only up to a moisture content of 67%. National Fisherfolk Forum general secretary Arjili Dasu said they were trying to establish small drying units under solar tunnel technology at Appikonda and Bheemunipatnam to facilitate hygienic drying and generate a decent livelihood for local fishermen. Demand from abroad There is heavy demand for dry fish in Sri Lanka, Thailand, China, Bangladesh and other countries. Mutyalamma, a fisherwoman hailing from Pudimadaka, told The Hindu that the government should strive to equip them with the required support and training to take up hygienic processing of dry fish.
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