Sri Lankan entrepreneurs should make use of the huge potential for dried fish in the world market, a businessman in the dried fish industry, Danushka Karunaratne said.
He said that there is a huge demand for quality dried fish in the local and foreign market. Therefore, entrepreneurs are welcome to this new sector, which hasn’t been well used so far.
Karunaratne said that young entrepreneurs, who see the future in different angles, should enter the industry since it will be the right solution for the foreign exchange scarcity in the country today.
“The huge market share available in the world market can easily bring billions of dollars. What we have to do is to produce high quality dried fish for foreign markets aiming to create a brand name,” he said.
According to him it is necessary to impose certain criteria for the dried fish industry as there are no such regulations. Therefore, it can be seen that fish are kept drying in open areas in sunlight even at dusty places. It is very important that dried fish be processed in a controlled atmosphere in covered huts, which get enough sunlight. Dried fish prepared in such places under controlled parameters has a huge potential both in local and foreign markets.
He said that quality dried fish including sprats has a huge demand in the local market also.
Due to the import tax on dried fish, imports have come down. This situation has also created a positive impact for local producers to meet local demand.
Danushka said that he has undergone practical and theoretical training in quality and hygienic dried fish production and uses that knowledge in his production process. Besides, he has developed his own methods for quality improvement.
“I am ready to share the knowledge I gathered in dried fish production with new players, willing to take the plunge,” he said.