Soft Shell Crab Processing Plants in Bangladesh in 2025

Soft shell crab has been drawing attention in the global markets for their tender texture and sweet, mouth-watering taste. 

The mud crab, particularly the Scylla olivacea species, is found in the coastal region of the country. The brackish waters of the Sundarbans and other adjacent estuarine areas are said to be the nursery ground of these mud crabs.

The incomparable taste of soft shell crab, followed by rising demands in the world market, has positioned Bangladesh as one of the potential exporters to the USA, Europe, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia.

The mud crab farming industry contributes significantly to the livelihoods of coastal communities. Approximately 1.5 million people are directly involved in mud crab farming, harvesting, and processing activities. 

In recent years, the annual export value of soft shell mud crabs from Bangladesh has been reaching approximately $60 million. This surge in demand reflects the importance of robust post-harvest processing systems for soft shell mud crabs to meet global quality standards.

How is soft shell mud crab produced?

Before delving deeper into the matter, we should know about the typical morphological shape of the mud crabs.

In this picture of a mud crab, you can see a thick and hard shell covering all over the body that is scientifically known as an exoskeleton. Besides this, you would also find a series of spines around the periphery of the carapace, and a pair of spines on the both chelipeds really made these crustaceans tough to be eaten with ease!

Mangrove mud crabs also have one pair of front legs with big claws, mostly used for attacking prey while searching for food. Besides this, they have another three pairs of walking legs and one pair of swimming legs. So that they can easily swim as well as move along the muddy banks of the coastal waters effortlessly.

The molting process is indispensable to the life cycle of these mud crabs. As the crabs grow, they periodically expel their old exoskeleton to facilitate further growth.

During the period of molting, the entire hard exoskeleton tends to become very soft. If you pick a mud crab, you would feel how soft it could be! Exactly, that’s the soft shell mud crab, which is a unique and highly desired seafood delicacy.

As soon as the crab molts, it needs to be taken out from the ponds with a maximum of 30 to 60 minutes and put into a collection tray or a bowl full of freshwater. Otherwise, the soft exoskeleton would transform back into the previous stage again.

This molting phase lasts only a few days to a week. Mud crabs can only molt a limited number of times in their lifespan. Because of this fact, soft shell mud crabs are relatively rare in nature. Their availability can fluctuate, making them a premium product in the seafood market.

Nutrition profile of soft shell mud crab

Mud crabs are an excellent source of essential nutrients –

1. Proteins
2. Good fats (Omega-3 fatty acids)
3. Vitamins (B12 and E)
4. Minerals (Iron, Zinc, Iodine and Calcium)

These essential nutrients not only support your cardiovascular health but also contribute to making your bones stronger. It also helps you to retain a healthy immune system. Soft shell mud crabs could be a super-nutritious addition to your healthy diet, not only for having great food value but also for their mouth-watering taste!

Role of mud crab processing plants

The soft shell mud crabs’ market has been expanding day by day. More emphasis is given to the sustainable farming practices and efficient processing methods in order to ensure the continuous development of this seafood industry. Responsible farming, supported by advanced processing plants, helps to maintain the quality of the crabs. It also assists in lowering the environmental impacts on the coastal ecosystems. These philanthropic efforts are necessary to sustain both the industry and the ecosystem simultaneously.

Processing plants are at the backbone of the soft shell mud crab industry. These plants ensure the safe journey of crabs from ponds to plates by maintaining several crucial steps during processing. Each step requires careful attention and advanced techniques to ensure quality and safety.

Steps strictly followed during the processing :

Step 1: The first step in processing soft shell mud crabs is cleaning. Once harvested, crabs are thoroughly washed to remove dirt, sand, and any other impurities. This method ensures that only the freshest, cleanest soft shell crabs make their way to the next stage.

Step 2: After cleaning, soft shell crabs are processed according to the buyer’s preferences. Some buyers want to take frozen soft shell crabs as frozen whole round (WR), whereas some prefer the whole clean (WC) ones!

Whole round (WR) refers to those soft shell mud crabs that are processed without dissecting or cutting any body parts. On the other hand, whole clean (WC) are processed carefully by dissecting unnecessary organs of those crabs.

Step 3: Once processed, the soft shell mud crabs are carefully packaged as per the requirements of the buyers and prepared for shipment.

Name and contact details of the processing plants:

State of certification

All mud crab or soft shell mud crab processing plants achieve some of the most needed standards like HACCP, BRCGS, HALAL Food Certification, FDA Register Facility, European Union Approval, ISO and GMP.

All of these four renowned mud crab processing industries have been exclusively exporting soft shell crabs and value-added crab products from Bangladesh. If you are interested in buying these super-tasty soft shell mud crabs from Bangladesh, you are cordially requested to contact the companies directly via the contact details given here.