KOCHI: Perumbalam Island, with a population of 12,000, on Friday saw the launch of the state’s first exclusive clam processing facility, which will make clams more hygienic and safer to consume.
The unit, established by the Central Institute of Fisheries Technology (CIFT), has a capacity to process one tonne of clams a day. It was funded by the SEED division of the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India.
The processing unit was formally inaugurated by Fisheries Minister J Mercykutty Amma on Friday. The unit is a fully integrated one, containing depuration tanks system, a processing hall equipped with tables, flake ice machine, chill room; a cooking-cum-boiler unit for cooking and shucking clams; and a unit to separate the meat from the shell, which ensures a clean, safe and well-packed product that can fetch a premium price in the market. The unit will provide employment to women of the locality. Already, CIFT has imparted hands-on training to 90 fisherwomen of five clusters from Perumbalam panchayat under the GMP (Good Manufacturing Practices) project, said a CIFT officer.
The unit, which is expected to benefit 250 families, was implemented with the support of Perumbalam grama panchayat and Haritha Farmers Club of the island.
FEATURES OF THE UNIT
Funded by the SEED division of the Department of Science and Technology, Govt of India.
Capacity to process 1 tonne of clams per day
Directly benefit 250 families in Perumbalam
The facility makes clams more hygienic and safe to consume
90 fisherwomen of 5 clusters from Perumbalam received hands-on training