The Hindu : Front Page : Power cut affects crab exporters

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Sunday, Apr 12, 2009
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Power cut affects crab exporters

M. Balaganessin

— Photo: M. Moorthy

POWERLESS: Crabs being sorted at an export unit at Meemisal in Pudukottai district.

PUDUKOTTAI: Power crises have been crippling the crab exporters of a coastal village Meemisal in the district, forcing them to incur heavy expenditure on liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders for boiling alive the catch for immediate processing to make it fit for export to foreign countries.

The still waters facilitate the ‘Blue crab’ variety to breed in this part of the coastal area and all the 200-odd fishermen of Meemisal, about 75 km from here, ensure an assured supply of this export-oriented crab.

The export units procure the crabs immediately after the fishermen reach the shores. On an average, each dealer exports 700 kg of crab every day; but during the period of peak catch, the quantum touches even 900 kg.

The live crabs should be immediately put into hot water for processing; the hot processed crabs are later maintained at room temperature before being shifted to freezer boxes for export to foreign countries, particularly the United States.

One of the exporters, M. Periyasamy, says that assured power supply would enhance prospects of the trade.

The supply was most needed for nine hours from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. for timely processing of the live crabs using boilers. But, the daily shutdown for two hours from 8 a.m. has forced them to use LPG (commercial) cylinders, causing an additional investment of about Rs.1,200 a day.

He said that the extra expenditure on the LPG has forced him to cut the procurement price of crabs. He purchases the crabs at Rs.100 a kg as he could not afford to pay more in the wake of the recurring expenditure on LPG cylinders.

The rigid norms of the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board denying power connections to export units located in ‘kadarkarai porambokke’ sites have been yet another problem.

He feels that the TNEB should exempt such exporters from the purview of this norm.

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