No. 4 (1917) INDIAN BECHE-DE-MER I4I 



Sterilization by smoking, (e) too prolonged storage, (/) trickery in 

 mixing inferior stuff with good. 



To attempt a revival of the industry and thereby to increase the 

 earnings of the local chank divers, the Madras Government in 

 G.O. No. 2739, Revenue, dated 9th December 191 5, authorized the 

 establishment of a beche-de-mer curing station at Tirupalakudi 

 on the south-west coast of Palk Bay. Work was commenced in 

 August 1916 and the first parcel of cured material was shipped 

 to Singapore in the following December. The quality was found 

 so satisfactory that it sold at the following high rates : — 



Unsmoked : — 



After allowing for depreciation of buildings and plant, together 

 with supervision charges, the net profit on the first half season's 

 work was equal to over 63% upon the expenditure, a rate which has 

 justified a substantial increase in the rates now being paid to the 

 fishermen. The curing methods at present in operation are as 

 follows : — 



{a) Thorough evisceration before or during boiling. 



(b) Boiling without the addition of water till the animals 

 shrink to half their length and emit a distinctive odour (40 to 50 

 minutes from time of applying heat to the pans). 



(c) Burial under damp sand for 12 to 18 hours. 



(d) Removal of the chalky external coat, first by hand mani- 

 pulation and then by foot trampling in a basket. 



(e) A second boiling for 20 minutes ; this time sea water 

 sufficient to cover is added. 



(/) Either full drying upon wire-net trays raised above the 

 ground or half sun drying and then finishing off in a smoke-house. 

 In the latter case the product should become very dark red in 

 colour. 



Constant care has to be maintained to keep the material 

 thoroughly dry during storage by means of occasional re-exposure 

 to sunshine. 



The best markets for Indian produce are Singapore and Penang, 

 shipment being made by mail steamer from Negapatam. No 



