THE VENEZUELAN SALT-FISH INDUSTRIES 



of the analyses, the salt now contains a greater percentage of insoluble matter (sand), and 

 more chemical impurities such as calcium sulphate and magnesium chloride. 



CONTAINERS 



Containers for packaging salt-fish products are an outstanding problem in Venezuela. 

 At the present time, dry salt-fish is handled either in bulk or is sold in burlap sacks. 

 Only the very best and most expensive grades are packed in wooden boxes. While lumber is 

 available for manufacturing boxes for salt-fish, prices are high. A namber of sawmills, 

 particularly those at Maracaibo, can manufacture suitable packing boxes. Some of these 

 mills already are producing boxes for Venezuelan products. The boxes are sold as shooks, 

 and the purchaser nails and stays them. The most suitable wood for box-making at present 

 prices is "jabillo." Lumber is available but present prices are high (Bs 200.00 per cubic 

 meter for jabillo) due to transportation dif ''iculties . 'Quotations of Bs 3.75 and Bs 6.90 

 for shooks for boxes holding 45.4 kilos and 98.8 kilos respectively, were obtained December 

 1943. To these quotations must be added nailing and freight charges. Capacity of the mills 

 would be sufficient if the high prices could be paid. The only manufacturing center at 

 this time is Maracaibo, 



Water-tight barrels, suitable for packing brine salt-fish, are not made in Venezuela. 

 Barrels are now manufactured by hand for holding water but these cannot be taken apart for 

 fish packing since they are not constructed carefully enough to be waterproof when headed. 

 Barrels of this type are, at present, made on a small scale at Cumana and at Maracaibo. 

 Suitable wood for barrels to pack brine salt -fish is available at high prices (Bs 300-400 

 per cubic meter), the best type probably being "roble." It is possible that jabillo, which 

 is slightly less expensive, could be used. However, no cooperage machinery is available 

 in Venezuela and lumber costs are so high at present that it is probable that the staves, 

 hoops, heads, and cooperage assembly machinery would have to be imported, at least for the 

 time being. 



LABOR 



There is an ample supply of labor in Venezuela for fishery operations that do not re- 

 quire great skill or experience. The women employed by the canneries at Cumana and Porlamar 

 for cleaning and packing arenque constitute a good example of the type of labor available. 

 While their individual output is not great, the relatively low wage (about Bs 2.00 per day), 

 is favorable. They appear capable of learning new techniques; and, if closely supervised, 

 are quite satisfactory for the type of duties they perform. Workers at the isolated ranch- 

 erias are adways available since there are few activities other than fishing or processing 

 fish. 



It often has been saiid that there is a shortage of fishermen. This may be true with 

 the present methods of fishing. A very little modernization would release ample labor for 

 increased fishing and processing, since the present methods do not utilize manpower ef- 

 ficiently and in the interest of maximum quantity and quality of production. 



The chief need in Venezuela is for machinists and foremen. While some good workmen 

 may be secured, their experience does not usually encompass the more modern types of ma- 

 chinery. Supervisory and business management personnel can be engaged locally, but there 

 must be a strong guiding administration as to policy and production standards. 



Following are the latest available data on wages paid to various types of fishery labor: 



Fishing Captain (Patron de Pesca) Bs. 8.00 per day 



Sailors and workers in the fisheries... 3s. 3-00 per day 

 Female cannery help 3s. 0.25 per hour 



6 a.m. 6 p.m. 

 Female cannery help Bs. 0.37 per hour 



6 p.m. to 6 a.m. 



Usually the fishermen prefer to work on shares and not at a daily wage. 



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