Dried ribbonfish marketable in Kyaukpyu

Dried ribbonfish in Kyaukphyu Township, Rakhine State, is attracting a large number of buyers and is sold very well, according to a dried fish trader.
“We have to buy these fish from the trawlers. At the moment, only the dried ribbonfish is in demand,” said U Khin Zaw who is in the fishing business. A viss of dried ribbonfish is sold for 4,500 kyats from the fishing trawlers and the fish is resold at 5,000 kyats per viss. In addition to the distribution in the markets in Kyaukpyu Township, these fish are also sold in MyaukU, Kyauktaw, Minbya, An, Tattaung and Yanbye towns in Rakhine State, he added.
The trader also said he still can’t distribute the dried ribbonfish to big cities such as Yangon, Nay Pyi Taw and Mandalay, and abroad due to the lack of contacts. Ribbonfish is a kind of sea fish and is also locally known as dried Ngathaywe in Rakhine State. It is used to make a fish paste and the dried one is cooked as a delicious dish by grilling or frying or making as a salad, as well as it is also eaten with traditional Myanmar breakfast such as hot sticky rice.—Tin Tun Oo (IPRD)/GNLM