Overview
Do you enjoy eating fish? But have you ever wondered where these delicious treats of fish come from? And how do they travel across borders to your plates?
Let’s discuss some important aspects of one of the largest Asian dry fish markets in Assam. That plays a significant role in transporting different types of fish to local fish markets in your town. Moreover, almost 300 varieties of dried fish are available in the fish market of Assam.
Towards the eastern side of Assam a small industrial town Jagiroad is situated in the Morigaon district of India. This town is popular because of the fried fish market, which is Asia’s famous market. However, Assamese is their official language.
So, buying and selling is done in this official language as fish sellers are not literate enough to communicate in English or other international languages. So, the non-native traders that bring fish from this market take assistance from professional Hindi translation services.
Therefore, with the help of these services, the traders can communicate accurately with native fish sellers about the rates and types of fish. This eliminates the factors of miscommunication and misunderstanding and enhances the customer base of the fish market.
The reason behind this is that the customers get the exact variety of fish they want at an appropriate rate to enhance their interest in sellers. So, help the customers to bring fish and enjoy the taste they want. Moreover, traders can trade the appropriate quality to other places.
Cross-Border Connection by Trading
Assam connects the border by trading the varieties of fish. It connects different linguistic backgrounds. However, The dry fish market of Assam comes to this market from all around India. Especially from Siliguri (west of Bengal), Teliamura (in Tripura), Porbandar (in Gujarat), and many other states of India. More than 1550 people are associated with the trading business of these fish markets.
They use to communicate and trade in the local dry fish market of Assam. These services help to translate the essential trading documents (to import the fish nationally and internationally) into the required language.
Furthermore, in terms of exportation, the fish from this market travel to all northeastern states. However, some southeastern countries also demand fish from this market like Singapore, Malaysia, Bhutan, etc. More than 1000 to 2000 trucks come to this market every year to import and export the fishes all around the world.
However, the prices of fish in this market depend on the size and quality. This market is not for the retail business of fish, retail sale is prohibited. So, customers must have to buy a sack of fish.
Behind the Scene
When fishermen catch the fish, they are not directly promoted to this fish market. However, it is passed through various steps before they are sold to the customers or traders. The fresh fish caught by fishermen are passed through different preservation techniques to dry fish products and have a stable shelf life.
Moreover, some of the techniques are drying, salting, fermentation, sun drying, and others. Salting enhances the natural flavor of the fish and protects and preserves it for a long time. Fermentation also imparts distinctive flavors to dried fish.
Therefore, the fish are not just caught and brought to you, they are processed, fermented, and packed accordingly.
Economical Impact on Assam’s livelihood
The famous dry fish market is situated near the railway station of Jagiroad. This is linked by a rail track and number 37 highway. So it’s easy to buy fish from the local and nearby places. However, Thursday to Saturday are the three peak days of this market operation.
Moreover, the certified Assamese translation services simplify and assist the trading of fish from highways and other routes. The non-native traders get help from these services to communicate effectively with the locals and translate the essential trading documents into the native language of the market.
Furthermore, this market acts as an essential economic pillar that provides employment opportunities and livelihoods. This opportunity is not only for the natives but also for the people of the nearby states. Therefore, people from different places come for business and trade dry fish. The neighboring states such as Tripura, Manipur, Nagaland, Meghalaya, and many others entered this market for fish trading. After that, this market became the most famous center for fish selling and trading in Asia.
Besides direct employment, the economic factor also impacts other associated sectors like packaging, transportation, logistics, and many more. So, this fish industry is not only linked with trade but it is also associated with many small socio-economic factors.
Summing Up!
In conclusion, the import and export dynamics of the dried trade in Assam show a significant cross-border connection and a multifaceted tapestry of commerce. Moreover, it provides employment for locals and non-natives and prevents fish quality by using different preservation techniques that contribute to its unique flavors.