Post-Harvest Technology, Processing and Marketing
Handling and preservation
Fish spoil fast because of enzymes and bacteria. Kill humanely, bleed and wash in clean water, and chill immediately. Use ice at about 1:1 fish-to-ice for small fish, drain meltwater, and keep the cold chain at 0-4°C. Freezing, salting, drying and smoking extend shelf life by lowering water activity or temperature.
Processing and value addition
Drying and smoking must be done hygienically; recontamination after drying is a common defect. Value-added products include fish pickle, cutlets, surimi, fish meal and oil. Grading by size and freshness raises price.
Market channels and pricing
A typical channel is producer to commission agent (aratdar) to wholesaler to retailer to consumer. The producer's share is farmgate price divided by consumer price. Price spread is consumer price minus farmgate price.
Worked example
Consumer price = ₹200/kg; farmgate = ₹120/kg. Producer's share = 120/200 = 60%. Price spread = ₹80/kg, or 40%. If transport and ice add ₹20/kg, the producer still receives ₹120; the marketing margin belongs to intermediaries, not the producer. Reasoning: do not call the retail price the farmer's price.
Traps
- Adding ice only after fish has warmed.
- Using dirty water for washing.
- Assuming dried fish is safe without controlling rehydration.
- Confusing price spread with profit.