Assessing Market Status of Mud Crab (Scylla sp.) Fishery in Patuakhali and Barguna District

Abstract

A study was executed to understand the status of crab marketing at 2 Upazila namely Patharghata of Barguna District and Kalapara Upazila of Patuakhali District. The overall sex ratio of male to female was found to be 1:0.94 and 1:0.95 in Patharghata and Kalapara Upazila respectively. The total number of depots and manpower involved in crab business in the depots were estimated to be 52 and 137, respectively. Manpower involved in crab business was maximum in Kalapara sadar in Kalapara Upazila and minimum in padma union in Patharghata Upazilla. Grading system in Kalapara Upazilla was different from Patharghata. In Patharghata, the average selling prices of female in depots was found to be the highest in January for F1, KS-1, F2 and in February for F3. The price of male crab was the highest for XXL and XL in January, L in October, M and SM in November. But in Kalapara the average selling price of female in depots were found to be the highest in October for F1, KS-1 in January for F2, and F3 in September. The price was the highest for XXL in December, XL in February, L in November, M and SM in November. The average boat size in Patharghata was found in length of 226.366±61.006 inch, width of 59.753±4.998 inch, and height of 33.12±2.237 inch. Each boat collects 60.333±14.326 kg per 7 days in each boat. On the other hand in Kalapara average boat size was found in length of 237.66±40.083 inch, width of 60.009±4.3386 inch, and height of 33.28±2.015 inch. Each boat collects 60±10.856 kg per week. Rate of mortality was found to be high in case of soft shell male and gonadally matured female. It was found that mortality rate of crabs which comes from forest is higher than from Gher and it is 20% on average per day. Major export markets of mud crab are Singapore, Hong Kong, China and Malaysia.