Soft-shell crab business becomes brisk in Ayeyawady Region

Soft-shell crab businesses from Ayeyawady Region are doing a roaring trade on account of the robust foreign demand, said livestock businesspersons.
The soft-shell crabs are shipped to China, Taipei, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia and some European countries. The price stands at US$10-15 per kilogramme. The soft-shell crab culture has expanded to meet the market demand, according to the Ministry of Commerce.
Earlier, there were about 37 local businesspersons doing soft-shell crab farming. In May, the number of farmers increased to 55. There are about 20 to 30 workers in each farming lake.
A businessperson manages one to five crab farming lakes. The local consumption of soft-shell crabs is pretty low. The industry is mainly relying on foreign markets.
Over 600 tonnes of soft-shell crabs are exported to foreign markets every year. Moreover, Rakhine State Fisheries Department is implementing research on soft-shell crab hatcheries like fish and shrimp culture. After 45 days of farming, the crabs are sent to processing and cold-storage plants in Thandwe, Rakhine State and Hlinethaya Industrial Zone, Yangon Region when the crabs shed their shell. Then, they are shipped to external markets in cold chain shipping. — KK/GNLM