Sustainable Sea Cucumber Farming in Sri Lanka: Our Process from Hatchery to Export

Hatchery & Nursery – Starting with the Best Seed Stock

Everything begins in our modern hatchery. Wild broodstock (healthy adult sea cucumbers) are carefully selected and spawned in controlled tanks. Millions of tiny larvae are nurtured through the critical planktonic stage with specially formulated feeds. After 2–3 weeks, they settle as juveniles and move to our nursery ponds for protected growth.

*This hatchery stage gives us complete control over genetics and health — something impossible with wild-caught stock.

Ocean Pen Farming – Natural Growth in Clean Waters

Once juveniles reach 5–8 cm, they are transferred to our large ocean pens in the pristine waters off Ariyalai. The pens are constructed with strong netting that allows natural water flow while protecting the animals from predators. Sea cucumbers graze on naturally occurring organic matter and supplemental feeds developed in-house. Growth cycle lasts 8–12 months until they reach commercial size.

Harvesting – Gentle & Selective

When the sea cucumbers reach the right size, our divers hand-harvest only mature individuals, leaving smaller ones to continue growing. Harvesting is done in rotation across different pens to maintain a steady supply year-round. Immediate transport to our shore facility in clean seawater tanks prevents stress and quality loss.

Processing & Cleaning

At our processing plant, internal organs are carefully removed, and the sea cucumbers are boiled using precise temperature and time protocols. They are cleaned again and prepared for drying. Every single batch is inspected for quality before moving to the next stage.

Drying & Grading

This is where the magic happens. We utilize initial sun-drying on clean racks (the traditional method) followed by final controlled oven drying to achieve <12% moisture — the international export standard. The product is then graded into A, B, and C categories based on size, thickness, and appearance, vacuum packed, and labelled with batch numbers for full traceability.

Export & Traceability

Every shipment includes full commercial documents, Certificate of Origin, a detailed traceability report (from hatchery to pen to final pack), and Ministry-certified Phytosanitary certificates. We ship directly from Colombo to your port — via sea or air cargo — with our reliable shipping partners.