Dried Fish Preservation — Coastal Andhra Pradesh

Sun-dried fish (endu chepala in Telugu) is a centuries-old protein preservation tradition along Andhra Pradesh's 974km coastline. After the catch, fish (anchovies, ribbonfish, sardines, mackerel, prawns) are washed in salt water, split open, salted, and laid on bamboo mats or reed racks for 3–7 days of sun-drying. Salt acts as preservative and flavour enhancer. Dried fish lasts 6–12 months without refrigeration — critical for inland distribution. East Godavari, Krishna, and Nellore districts are major production centres. The annual market is ₹4,000 crore. Export to Sri Lanka, Southeast Asia, and the Indian diaspora. Dried prawn (endu chepala/dry prawn) fetches ₹400–600/kg. Fisherwomen do most drying work on beaches. NABARD fisheries credit supports ice-making and drying infrastructure. India exports 6 lakh tonnes dried/salted fish annually.