How soft-shell crab exports are sustaining Bangladesh's southwest
In Bangladesh’s southwest coast, thousands of workers depend on soft-shell crab farming, supplying markets in Japan, Europe and the US. But reliance on wild crab stocks in the absence of viable hatcheries pose challenges to further expansion
On a chilly December noon in Datinakhali, a small village in Shyamnagar, Satkhira, the sun hung overhead, leaving a clear imprint of light on the wooden walkways and plastic crates packed with thousands of crabs. The air — cool and dry despite the bright midday sun — smelled of salt, fish and earth.
Inside the cafeteria, workers paused for lunch, metal plates in hand, quiet conversations marking the break. Soon, work resumed outside. In a familiar, practiced rhythm, they returned to tending the crabs that would soon leave this quiet edge of Bangladesh for distant markets abroad.
Beauty Akter, a 33-year-old worker at Aquamax Seafood, did not know which country the crabs she handled would end up in, or how they would be cooked. As she spoke, she adjusted a stack of plastic crates, a task she has been doing for nearly a decade in the soft-shell crab industry.
"I've worked in three places, but I stayed here the longest," she said. "My son works with me. He earns about Tk9,500 a month, and I earn Tk8,000. Without this job, life would have been quite difficult; my husband remarried 10 or 12 years ago, and I've been supporting myself since then."
Beauty's workday is long and unrelenting. "I come at 7 am and leave at 7pm. Twelve hours daily. I do everything — feeding, helping cut fish, checking crabs, whatever is needed."
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She carried a small wooden scoop, carefully moving crabs that had just moulted. "Many of us would have been unemployed without this work. Just like garment factories benefit Dhaka, crab farming benefits us here."
For thousands like Beauty, soft-shell crab farming became not only a job but also a way to survive. Every day, men and women rise before the sun to tend to thousands of crabs, carefully watching over creatures that will soon travel thousands of miles to plates in Japan, Europe and the US.
The work is demanding, the hours long, but it offers something rare in these remote villages: a steady income and a better lifestyle. Families rely on this to feed children, support ageing parents, and build a life in a place where opportunities are scarce. The farms, with their maze of wooden walkways, stacked crates and ponds, are alive with human effort.
Not far from Beauty, Abdus Salam, a 25-year-old worker at another farm, was checking around 4,500 boxes for moulting crabs.
"I've been in this profession for the last four years," he said. "I only completed primary schooling, then couldn't continue due to economic hardship. My daily tasks include checking boxes for dead or moulting crabs, preparing new crabs for boxes, cleaning leftover food, and feeding small pieces of tilapia fish to the crabs. One worker feeds 4,000–5,000 two or three days after.
Commercial crab farming began in Burigoalini and Munshiganj areas of Shyamnagar around 2015. We have five processing factories… There are about 1,200 farms covering roughly 220 hectares. Total annual production is around 17,000 tonnes, of which 15,000 tonnes are soft-shell crabs. Almost 100% is exported. This industry holds huge potential, especially now when we need export diversification.
"Before this, I was involved in excavation work and construction. This job seemed better," he added.
The crabs themselves are sourced primarily from the Sundarbans and nearby rivers.
Shawon Hossain, a 20-year-old collector and employee of Japan Fast Trade, a Japan-Bangladesh joint private investment farm operational since 2017 and one of the biggest in the area, explained the supply chain.
Fishermen catch crabs and sell them to local intermediaries or wholesalers. "We buy from the wholesalers, who supply them in boxes of about 30-40 kg. Prices depend on size and quality. Crabs suitable for moulting fetch higher prices. Most soft-shell crabs go to Japan," he explained.
Shawon also sells crabs to local farmers, making him a vital link in the chain between the mangroves and the processing factories.
Supervising the moulting process was Mohammad Iliyas Hossain of Marine Marvel Seafood, 29, from Munshiganj, Shyamnagar, with nine years' experience.
"We keep 40-50g of even bigger crabs in separate boxes for 20–25 days until they moult. After moulting, we harvest them as soft-shell crabs. During peak season, the farm has 140,000 boxes; off-season, around 70,000–75,000. Feeding happens every three days with properly cut tilapia fish," he explained. "Boxes are checked every three to four hours day and night. Dead crabs are removed immediately. Risks exist, but with proper management, the business is profitable."
The economic figures are precise. Hard-shell crabs are bought at Tk500–700 per kg, soft-shell crabs are sold at Tk900–1,000 per kg.
"Feed and labour cost around Tk200 per kg. So the profit stands around Tk200–250 per kg. Daily production is about 200 kg at full operation. Around 100 people, mostly young locals, are employed here," Iliyas added.
Shahidul Islam, manager at Japan Fast Trade, painted a more detailed picture. "We produce and export 15–20 tonnes of soft-shell crabs every month. It's completely export-oriented; we don't sell even a kilogram locally. Around 400 employees, mostly from this area, work here."
He outlined the main challenges, "The Forest Department bans the catching of small crabs for three to six months each year. Even then, salaries still need to be paid. Cyclones or floods can disrupt operations, though crabs generally survive well in brackish water. We also keep the process chemical-free."
The company also has an R&D section focused on building a crab hatchery, since the Sundarbans and nearby rivers remain the only main sources of crabs. Yet, despite these efforts, the future of hatchery production feels uncertain.
Md Tawhid Hasan, Senior Upazila Fisheries Officer of Shyamnagar, offered an administrative perspective. "Commercial crab farming began in Burigoalini and Munshiganj areas of Shyamnagar around 2015. Women play a significant role, with a per-capita daily income of around Tk500. We have five processing factories exporting almost all soft-shell crabs to Europe."
However, he pointed out a major challenge: sourcing crabs from nature, as no commercial hatchery exists yet. "Although two trial hatcheries have been launched in Shyamnagar, the output has not been satisfactory," he explained.
"There are about 1,200 farms covering roughly 220 hectares. Total annual production is around 17,000 tonnes, of which 15,000 tonnes are soft-shell crabs. Almost 100% is exported. This industry holds huge potential, especially now when we need export diversification. We are exploring ways to build sustainable hatcheries, because nature cannot provide the same treasure indefinitely," Tawhid added.
A businessman who has been working in Shyamnagar since 2017, speaking on condition of anonymity, explained that their main market lies far beyond Bangladesh, in the US. Yet the country can currently supply only about 5-10% of total demand.
In contrast, Myanmar, Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines have emerged as major producers, backed by more established systems. Bangladesh, he said, still struggles to scale up, particularly because hatchery production is difficult and depends heavily on access to seawater, which is not always reliable.
Despite these challenges, there have been attempts to push the sector forward. Researchers from UNDP and Tokyo University have provided technical assistance to improve hatchery practices. Outside the hatchery system, he sees few serious social or legal problems. His biggest worry is reputational: unlicensed or informal exports, he warned, could damage Bangladesh's standing in international markets at a time when the industry is still trying to prove itself.
Environmental pressures and sustainability challenges are also evident. A study titled 'Assessment of Soft-Shell Mud Crab (Scylla olivacea) Farming Trend in the Southwest Coastal Region of Bangladesh', published in 2025, highlights that the southwest region demands approximately 5.55 million seed crabs per cycle, entirely dependent on wild stocks.
Daily harvesting per person has dropped from 10.35 kg to 4.38 kg over the last decade. Plastic cage usage has decreased from 99% to 67%, while farm mortality has increased by more than 8% due to low-quality seed crabs. Consequently, farmers prefer small crabs, 30–60g, for faster moulting.
"The unplanned expansion of soft-shell crab farming encroaches on agricultural land, increasing soil and freshwater salinity," Tawhid noted. Hatchery development and formulated feed are crucial for sustainable growth. The rising demand for tilapia for feed also affects local nutrition, as nearly all the supply is now diverted to crab farms.
