The destination of our study tour was Kuliarchar Cold Storage Ltd in Kishoreganj District, as it was related to our Fishery Products Technology course. cold storage faci Kuliyarchar Cold Storage is a prominent lity located in Bangladesh. It is one of the largest and most technologically advanced cold storage facilities in the country. Throughout our course on Fishery Product Technology, we had learned about various processing and preservation methods. However, this study tour provided us with the opportunity to gain practical knowledge and handson experience with the processing and preservation techniques used in cold storage facilities. This valuable learning experience will undoubtedly benefit us in our futur e careers in the field of Fisheries.

1. Bangamata Sheikh Fojilatunnesa Mujib
Science & Technology University
Jamalpur-2012
A Report on
“Kuliarchar Cold Storage and Fish Drying Yard”
Course Name: Fishery Products Technology
Course No: FT 3202
Credit: 1.5
Submitted to:
Syed Ariful Haque
Assistant Professor
Department of Fisheries
BSFMSTU
Date of Submission : 08-05-2023
Submitted by:
Farhanul Haque
Level-3 Semester -2
ID: 18115108
Reg: 143-18-2020
Session: 2017-18

2. Introduction:
Study tours are an essential part of knowledge and education, expanding the horizons of our minds
and experiences. They play a crucial role in providing practical and interesting education to students.
Recently, our Fisheries department organized an exciting study tour for us, which I warmly
welcomed. The destination of our study tour was Kuliarchar Cold Storage Ltd in Kishoreganj District,
as it was related to our Fishery Products Technology course. Kuliyarchar Cold Storage is a prominent
cold storage facility located in Bangladesh. It is one of the largest and most technologically advanced
cold storage facilities in the country.
Throughout our course on Fishery Product Technology, we had learned about various processing and
preservation methods. However, this study tour provided us with the opportunity to gain practical
knowledge and hands-on experience with the processing and preservation techniques used in cold
storage facilities. This valuable learning experience will undoubtedly benefit us in our future careers
in the field of Fisheries.
Objectives:
➢ To gather practical knowledge of the processing and preservation techniques in the cold
storage of fishery products in our developing country.
➢ To make a big difference in terms of economic development by contributing the knowledge
of the cold storage.
➢ Also show us a lot of opportunities in terms of export industries.
Journey time & Study tour:
15 march, 2023, We students of level-3 semester-2 were looking forward to visit a processing plant
in Kishoreganj district namely Kuliarchar Cold Storage Ltd from Bangamata Sheikh Fojilatunnesa
Mujib Science & Technology University, Melandah, Jamalpur. We were eagerly waiting for the days
to come. We had pre-planned everything. Every single detail was planned and everything was set.
The journey time was at morning 5:30 am. We started our trip by two buses. Our respectful and our
course teacher Syed Ariful Haque & Sumit Kumar Paul guide us in this tour. We took our breakfast
in the bus at 9.00 am and we reached kuliarchar at 10:30 pm.

3. Discussion:
Sanitation is the foremost priority of any processing and preservation industry. Strict disinfection
must be followed before accessing the facility.
Landing center:
These raw supplies are unloaded here when a group
brings fish. To avoid cross-contamination, a separate
path for product and human entry is used here. If
someone wishes to enter into the reception room from
the landing area, s/he has to travel through 100
200ppm chlorinated in front of the receiving area.
Fig: Landing Centre
Receiving room:
Before the product comes into the receiving room,
primary wash is done with the product. In the
receiving room fisheries product is weighted. When
there is an excess of product in the reception room, it
is sent to the "Chill Room" for processing the next day.
White fishes are taken as “inch size”, where the,
shrimps are ‘’graded “according to per lbs. Shrimp
traceability is checked before entering this receiving
area. Fig: Receiving room
Dressing room:
Before entering the processing unit, the processors and
laborers are fully attired with an apron, mask, gloves,
and caps. Metal and jewelry must be removed from the
processing area.
Fig: Dressing room

4. Sanitation & Personal Hygiene:
Strict hygiene and sanitation practices are
followed in fish cold storage facilities to prevent
contamination and maintain food safety. This
includes regular cleaning, disinfection, and pest
control measures. Between the dressing room
and processing area, sanitation and personal
hygiene is a matter of concern. Hands should be
washed with both soap and chlorinated water
(50-100ppm). The gumboots are disinfected
through dipping into 100-200ppm chlorinated
water.
Fig: Sanitation & Personal Hygiene
Cutting room:
In cutting room fishes are processed before going for
final freezing. Fishes and shrimps are not processed at
a time. On behalf of demand shrimps are processed
like head on, shell on, tail on, deveined ready to cook
and ready to eat products. Shrimps are graded
accurately according to count/lbs. For instance,
freshwater prawns are graded from 4 to 90 pieces/lbs.
Fig: Cutting room
Processing Room (I.Q.F.):
I.Q.F. stands for “Individual Quick Frozen”. In this
processing unit shrimps are frozen individually through
dipping into chilled water. I.Q.F. shrimp products are
further cooked or blanched according to buyers demand.
Cooking is done with a cooking machine, and the
temperature and duration for cooking varies depending
on the grade of shrimp and the machine. The prepared
foods are ready to eat. Blanching refers to half boiled
products. Blanched items are ready to cook.
Fig : Processing Room (I.Q.F)

5. Cooking: I.Q.F. shrimp products are further cooked or blanched according to buyers demand. Cooking
is done with cooking machine and its cooking temperature and time varies with grade of shrimp and with
machines. The cooked products are ready to eat.
Blanching: Blanching refers to half boiled products. Blanched items are ready to cook. 2.7. Freezing:
Different fishery products according to their size are frozen in different method. Freezing areas are low risk
area than processing area.
Freezing:
Different fishery products according to their size are frozen
indifferent method. Freezing areas are low risk area than
processing area.
Fig : Freezing
Contact Plate Freezer(Horizontal):
The contact plate freezer is used to freeze little fish by
placing them in trays and storing them as a block
between freezer shelves. Due to contact from both sides,
the trays freeze. The two main types of plate freezers are
horizontal plate freezer and vertical plate freezer. The
temperature of the machine is kept at -40 0 C in order to
achieve a core temperature of -18 0 C.
Fig: Contact Plate Freezer (Horizontal)
Air Blast Freezer:
Cold air is blown within this freezer. Larger sized
fishes like whole Ayre, Boal, Rui, Catla,Chital,
Hilsha fish. Firstly these fishes are gutted and then
frozen. Temperature is maintained at -35 to – 40
degree Celsius. Fish, packaged or otherwise and kept
in trays or suitable container is placed in the air blast.
Fish gets frozen by being in contact with the
vigorously moving cold air.
Fig: Air Blast Freezer

6. Spiral Freezer:
Spiral freezer is basically an air blast freezer, usually a round
chamber in which cold refrigerant blows over wire mesh belt
that moves spirally and carries individual items to be frozen.
Freezing temperature is usually maintained within the range
of –30oC to – 40oC, depending on the thickness of the items
to be frozen and it is also freezes the IQF products very
quickly, as quickly as between 15 to 60 minutes.
I.Q.F. shrimps are either cooked or blanched are dipped into
chilled tank and then moved to the spiral freezer for glazing.
According to the grade and weight requirements of the
clients, the glazed items are packed and sealed with
polythene coat. To avoid any unintentional metal
introduction, the packed products are run through a metal
detector. The products are then relocated for storage after
they have been checked.
Fig: Spiral Freezer
Frozen Storage:
Once fish have been frozen they need to be kept under
suitable storage conditions to maintain quality. The
recommended storage temperature for frozen products
varies between the range from -20 to -25°C. At this
temperature protein changes and denaturation are
minimized, and bacterial action is practically arrested.
The core temperature should be -18°C. Gaseous NH3
is used to maintain cold temperature for storing frozen
product.
Fig Fig: In front of the storage room (-
18°C)

7. Fish Drying Yard Kuliarchar
Fish drying yards in Kuliarchar, a region in Bangladesh, have been instrumental in supporting the
local fishery industry by providing a traditional and effective method of drying fish for preservation.
Thousands of people have been engaged in producing dried fishes on the banks of the river Kali in
Daspara area of Kuliarchar upazila.
The fish drying yards in Kuliarchar are simple, open-air platforms where freshly caught fish are dried
in the sun to preserve them for longer storage and transportation. These fish drying yards have been
in operation for many years and are considered an essential part of the local fishery ecosystem.
Workers both male and female are busy drying fishes in 150 makeshift bamboo platforms (locally
called Dangi) to produce 756 tonnes of dried fish in this season. Fishermen dump the unsold fishes
at dry-fish hubs and sell them at lower prices.The traders at the hubs produce the dry-fish processing
the fishes. Usually making the dry fishes remain momentous between October to February. The
demand for the dry-fish is very high because of its taste.
Large quantities of local varieties of fishes like
mola, walking fish, cat fish, carp, bacha, tengra,
pangas, eel fish and many others are caught from
the Kali River, Meghna River and Bengla River by
the fishermen.
Some other products extracted from fish are also
dried in this yards such as Fish Scale, Fish Jaw, fish
bladder. Fish bladder have high economic
importance it is supplied to various countries to
make medicines and food products. Dried fish
scales are used by cosmetics companies.

8. Process of Fish Drying:
The fish drying yards in Kuliarchar follow traditional techniques that have been passed down through
generations. The process of fish drying in Kuliarchar typically begins with the fishermen bringing
their catch to the drying yards early in the morning. The fish are usually cleaned, gutted, and then
spread out on raised bamboo platforms or large mats made of jute or plastic, which are placed in the
open air under the sun. The fish are left to dry for several hours, and the sun and wind work together
to gradually remove the moisture from the fish. The drying time depends on various factors such as
the type of fish, weather conditions, and size of the fish. Once the fish are fully dried, they are
collected and stored for transportation or further processing.
Wholesalers from different parts of the country including Chittagong, Sylhet, Mymensingh, Rajshahi,
Khulna, Barishal, Rangpur, and the capital Dhaka come and buy quality dried fishes from Kuliarchar.
Apart from the country’s local markets, dried fishes from Kuliarchar are being also exported to India
and different European countries.
Chepa Sukti:
Chepa Sutki is the most demanded dried fermented product in Bangladesh. It involves several steps,
including selection of fish, cleaning, seasoning, sun-drying, turning, monitoring, and packaging.
Chepa Shutki is made from Punti fish (Puntius sophore). The fishes are dried in the sun after cleaning
and gutting then the totally dried fish are washed again in the river water for 5 minutes. The washing

9. time should be minium as it can induce early spoilage if keep in water for a long time. The containers
or Vats are prepared by soaking their inside with fish oil. The fish are arranged in layers in a container
or a clay pottery(Vat), sealed with banana leaves to aid in the fermentation process. The container is
then covered with a cloth or a lid to protect it from dust and insects. The earthen pot is kept
underground for 24 hours and the fish are left to ferment for several days, typically ranging from 3
months to 6 months, depending on the desired level of fermentation.
The Chepa Sutki process is significant not only for its practicality in preserving fish, but also for its
cultural importance as a traditional practice passed down through generations. It reflects the local
community's connection with their cultural heritage and sustainable food preservation practices.
Limitation of this yard:
➢ Proper sanitation is not used
➢ More or less non hygienic
➢ Drainage system is not improved
➢ Fish quality is not maintained.

10. Conclusion:
In conclusion, Kuliyarchar Cold Storage is a significant player in the agricultural and food processing
industries in Bangladesh. With its modern infrastructure, advanced technological features, and value-
added services, it has become a reliable choice for farmers, traders, and food processors. The
Kuliarchar Cold Storage Ltd. and drying yard study visit established a link between our academic
knowledge and its practical application. Despite the fact that the study tour was only a few days long,
it was a very informative one. We have had real-world contact with fish processors, which will help
us become more professional in this field in the future.
Acknowledgement:
I would like to thank the Department of Fisheries, Bangamata Sheikh Fojilatunnesa Mujib Science
And Technology University for organizing this useful study tour. I would also like to thank the
professors in this department, especially Syed Ariful Haque sir and Sumit Kumar Paul sir for their
good guidance. Special thanks to Sudhamoy Chakraborti, employee of Kuliarchar Cold Storage Ltd.
who guided us all through this processing plant. For the financial management support of this study
tour, we warmly thank the Chairman of the Department of Fisheries, Prof. Dr. Abdul Sattar, Sir. All
in all, thanks to all of our classmates who made this study trip a successful.