The mobile refrigerated fish vending kiosk was unveiled in 2017.

Mobile fish vending kiosk in Kochi gets a patent! Fish is an important part of the diet in Kerala and fish vendors often put up stalls on the road side, much like vegetable vendors in northern India. However, the hygiene and the freshness of fish sold this way has often been a cause of concern among authorities as well as consumers. So, the Central Institute of Fisheries Technology (CIFT), a branch of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research headquartered in Kochi, decided to design a mobile vending kiosk for fish, which would keep the fish fresh and hygienic.

The mobile refrigerated fish vending kiosk, which was unveiled in 2017, has now received the certificate of registration by the Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trade Marks for its design, as per several reports. The certificate will be valid for a period of five years. The kiosk has been designed by the Engineering division of the CIFT, under the supervision of head of department Manoj P Samuel.

According to the CIFT website, the refrigeration-enabled kiosk will improve the handling and marketing of the fish by small vendors, fisher folk and retailers. Since the kiosk is mobile, small vendors can also use it to sell fish on the roadside, without compromising with the hygiene.

Features of fish vending kiosk

• The kiosk has a chilled storage and display facility, with a hand-operated descaling machine.
• It has also been fitted with a fish dressing deck, complete with a wash basin, water collection chamber, working space and a water tank. This makes the kiosk equipped with descaling, cutting, cleaning as well as packing facility.
• Through the glass cover fitted on the kiosk, the consumers will continue to have the opportunity to choose the fish they want.
• As per CIFT, if conditions remain ideal, then the shelf life of the fish can be extended to four to five days, benefiting the vendors.

Cost of mobile fish vending kiosk

According to the CIFT website, the fabrication cost of the kiosk is around Rs 80,000, including the GST, making it affordable for small-scale vendors.