New faster, hygienic fish drying process

Trial runs of drier that runs on solar and biomass energy successful

Chandra, Assistant Professor, Department of Fish Processing Technology, explaining the working of solar-cum-biomass fish drying unit at Fisheries College in Mangaluru. Photo: H. S. Manjunath

A public-private initiative could soon lead to commercial introduction of hygienic fish drier run on solar and biomass energy. The initiative has proved to be a success in Mangaluru during trials.

The College of Fisheries, Mangaluru, Karnataka Fisheries Development Corporation Ltd. (KFDC), Mangaluru, SELCO Foundation, promoters of solar energy, and Ensun Technologies Pvt. Ltd., Sirsi, have joined hands for this initiative.

After a one-and-half-year trial of the machine, the KFDC is now setting up two solar-cum-biomass salt water fish hybrid drying units at Mangaluru and Brahmavar (Udupi district) under a pilot project of the State government. P.M. Muddanna, General Manager, KFDC, told

The Hindu that the two units, managed by two self help groups, would become operational within a fortnight and “salted and dried anchovy (small salt water fish) produced by the groups would be marketed by the corporation in its 18 outlets across the State within a month”.

Chandra, Assistant Professor, Department of Fish Processing Technology, College of Fisheries, said the solar-cum-biomass hybrid driers could be commercially launched. If solar energy (in the form of warm air) was used during the day, biomass energy was used during the night for drying fish.

S. Deepthaa, Project Lead, SELCO India, said the company had developed three units for drying 100 kg of fish and each unit would cost Rs. 2.50 lakh. If SELCO provided solar technology, the Sirsi-based company provided biomass technology. It would take 20 hours to dry 100 kg of fish. Traditionally that quantity would take three to four days for drying.

Fish dried in solar-cum-biomass hybrid driers were free from foreign bodies and pathogenic micro organisms. While sand particles, bird and rat droppings, insects and other foreign bodies were found in fish dried traditionally under the open sky.

Mr. Chandra said humidity and temperature could also be controlled in the driers.

Ms. Deepthaa said the company did a market survey to know the response of consumers. It kept 100 packets, each weighing 100 grams, of solar dried fish in four shops of Bengaluru. All of them were sold out within two weeks, she said.