Nghe An fishing village bustles with anchovy processing season
In the last days of the year, the fishing village of Quynh Lap commune (Hoang Mai town) is much more bustling when anchovy fishing boats take turns arriving at the port. This is also the time when the craft village enters the biggest anchovy processing season of the year, stockpiling goods to serve the Lunar New Year and for export.
For generations, fishermen in Quynh Lap commune have had a traditional profession of catching and processing anchovies. Normally, each boat goes out to sea for 5-7 days and then returns to the port loaded with anchovies at dawn. Trays of fresh anchovies are brought ashore, some of which are sold to make fish sauce, while the rest are purchased by establishments to be processed into dried anchovies.
During this season, passing through Quynh Lap commune, it is easy to see the image of anchovy trays drying along the roads.
While quickly arranging the fish on the net, Ms. Cao Thi Phuc in Quynh Lap commune, Hoang Mai town said that to have finished batches of dried anchovies, first of all, you have to choose fresh and delicious batches of anchovies, wash them, spread them evenly on the net, and then put them in the steamer. With such a large output, during the season, local steamers have to run at full capacity to handle it all. There are times when they are overloaded, and fishermen have to dry fresh fish that have not been steamed.
Anchovy season usually lasts from August to February of the lunar calendar every year. This is also the time when the dried anchovy processing industry is most active.
In addition to processing dried anchovies, the women of Quynh Lap fishing village also increase the value of anchovies by processing seasoned anchovies. The freshest trays of anchovies are brought back, washed, split in half to remove the backbone, then arranged evenly on a grill and sprinkled with a layer of spices including salt, chili, sugar, garlic, etc., and dried under the sun, turned over to dry the fish evenly. After 2 drying sessions, the finished product is produced.
The dried anchovy processing industry creates jobs for many local workers. Ms. Le Thi Ha in Quynh Lap commune shared: For each hour of work, we are paid 20,000 VND. During the fishing season, the women in the fishing village have regular work and extra income.
Compared to previous years, this year's anchovy output is not as high, but in return, the selling price is higher, the fresh and short-lived type costs 18,000 VND/kg. After processing, the price of dried anchovies is usually 80,000 VND/kg, but if seasoned, it will cost 150,000 VND/kg, increasing the value of the product.
The entire Quynh Lap commune has 120 boats over 15 meters long specializing in fishing anchovies in distant waters. On average, anchovy output reaches 30,000-35,000 tons per year, the highest in the province. Quynh Lap dried anchovy products are sold in markets across the country and exported to China.
Mr. Truong Cong Vu - Chairman of the Farmers' Association of Quynh Lap commune said
