Mermaid setting up solar dry fish unit in Vijayawada

Mermaid Aqua, an affiliate of Vijayawada-based Vyjayanthi Corporation, is setting up a Rs 1.5-lakh solar dry fish unit in the city this month.

The firm, which opened a solar dry fish unit and a prawn powder unit at Gangavaram near Visakhapatnam five months ago, is also introducing polyhouse drying technology at a cost of Rs 25 lakh at its Gangavaram and Vijayawada units. The aqua company is also set to set up a fish wafers unit by May.

Speaking to Business Standard, Mermaid Aqua managing director B Rajendra Prakash said, "We have selected a fish called Anchovi (popular as 'Nethallu' in coastal Andhra) "� a small, white and transparent fish "� for our dry fish brand. The fish is rich in proteins, having a number of therapeutic values, particularly for diabetics and pregnant women. The technology for the unit has been provided by the Central Institute of Fisheries Technology (CIFT), and Marine Products Exports Development Authority (Mpeda)."

Giving insights into the drying process of the fish, Prakash said, "In traditional drying, the fish, which contains dust, bacterial moulds and other impurities, is dried under the sun. It also emits foul smell during cooking. But in the solar drying technology, Nethallu are first carefully washed and then processed. Later, they are let in solar driers where they are perfectly dried up. The solar dry fish, during cooking, does not give foul smell. Besides, consumers would get more solar dry fish than traditional dry fish for the same price."

"We are now supplying solar dry fish exclusively to the Hyderabad market, and have received orders from Bhilai, Nagpur, Bangalore and Kolkata for supply of the same. We are currently negotiating a deal with a Kolkata exporter for export of the products to other countries as well," Prakash said.

The company is targeting a business of Rs 12 lakh in 2006-07.