A survey on the production and marketing of mud crab, Scylla serrata (Forskal, 1755) in the south-western part of Bangladesh

An investigation was conducted to estimate approximate production and assess the marketing of mud crab in the south-western region of Bangladesh. Crab culture was done by hardening and fattening collected from the natural source. Most of the fattening farms were 0.2 to 2 acres. Fattening and hardening period varied from 10 to 30 days. The Sundarban mangrove, tidal rivers, estuaries, canals, shrimp farms and fattening ponds were the sources of mud crabs. The total number of mud crab depots was 328. Three types of physical conditions of the crab depots were recorded, Kacha (110), Semi-pacca (150) and Pacca (68). The grading system of crabs varied depending on sex and size. The total production of mud crab was 6945.62 (t) in Khulna-Satkhira-Bagerhat districts. The maximum (2655.91 t) mud crab was produced in Bagerhat district and the minimum (1777.15) in Satkhira. The production was maximum (3567.86) in the monsoon and the lowest (1306.95) in summer season. The prices of mud crabs varied with grade and season. The mud crab marketing was highly export oriented and the major export markets were Taiwan, Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Thailand and USA. Some rudimentary domestic markets were found in the region based on rejected crabs at depots for domestic consumption at low price. During transportation the mortality was about 14-20%. Three types of marketing with a chunk of profit were found in middlemen or brokers.