Case study
Fish Value-Added Products with the Fisherwomen of Pondicherry
Fish is among the most traded food items in the world, and demand for ready-to-cook products is growing fast. This cluster moves fisherwomen from selling fresh catch into producing for that market.
What we found
- Fisherwomen were selling raw catch with no processing, capturing the thinnest margin in the chain.
- Demand has shifted decisively towards fresh dressed or sliced fish in ready-to-cook form, and towards frozen fillets, fish sausage, battered and breaded products and fish wafers - none of which the cluster could supply.
- Fish eaters account for over half of India's population and the number is rising, so the opportunity cost of staying in raw sales keeps growing.
What we did
- Organised fisherwomen into a value-added products cluster.
- Technical training on dressing, slicing, and producing ready-to-cook and ready-to-eat formats.
- Exposure to a working crab meat processing and exporting unit at Pondicherry.
- Product development covering fish patties, cakes, nuggets and wafers alongside branding and packaging.
What is different now
- A fisherwomen cluster producing value-added products rather than selling raw catch.
- Access to the local and export markets for ready-to-cook fish products.
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