The White Lime Production Process

4.6.1 The White Lime Production Process

The process involves a number of steps. Tree logs are used as fuel for burning the shells and they are transported in tractor loads or on horse or donkey carts to the production site. They are arranged on the ground as a burning platform with grass straw and plant stalks interspersed between the logs to facilitate lighting. The shells are then loaded on the burning platform Figure 27. Fig. 27: Lime producer using his own donkey and cart to transport firewood logs for the lime production process A gallon of gasoline is sprinkled over the shells and wood platform. As the wood catches fire and burn, the shells heat up and crumble down. As the fire increases in intensity, the shells become red hot and burn from the inside as just like a furnace. Fig. 28: Lime production setup with tree logs bedding left and burning shells during production process 30 The setup continues to burn for 4­7 days with occasional plunging of a long stick into the burning shells to stir up them up so that those in the upper layers in the pile fall into the fire Figure 29. By the end of the process, all the wood and shells are burnt down. Water usually sea water from nearby streams is added to the burnt mass by sprinkling and churning to ground the mass into a kind of muddy paste. Fig. 29: Lime production in process: stirring the shells left; burning pile of shells right The mass is then heaped and left to dry under the sun for three days after which it is churned again and beaten into a caked mass of white lime product, which is ready for bagging into 50Kg bags. Fig. 30: Filled bags of white lime produced from oyster shells 31 On average, the lime producer gets about 100 bags of white lime per batch produced. About 2 cycles of lime production are completed per month. On average, lime production takes place during a period of three to four months of the year in the dry season only. So an average of 8 batches is produced per lime production season per annum if production is continuous throughout the season. The bags are sold to retail buyers.

5.0 Costs and Revenues in the Oyster Harvesting and Lime Making Value Chains

5.1 Costs and Revenues in the Oyster Harvesting Value Chain

Costs are separated in this section according to the three main steps of the oyster production chain: harvesting, processing and marketing of oysters. Each stage of the production chain requires a number of inputs and fixed and variable costs or operating costs. Revenue is obtained only at the point of sale. Since the oyster harvester performs all three steps of the value chain, from harvesting through to marketing of the final product, these are together considered as a single business enterprise. All analyses are based on seasonal values during the 4 month harvesting season, during the year 2010. The analysis considers two scenarios involving: a harvesters acquire their own canoes by purchase the canoe considered as a fixed capital asset; and b harvesters hire the canoes and pay rent to canoe owners cost of hiring the canoe considered as operating cost. The values for costs and revenues were collected from respondents in each of the 9 sample sites. Cumulative averages were then worked out for each cost and revenue item in the respective value chain step. Fixed assets were depreciated based on average lifespan also obtained from information collected from respondents.

5.1.1 Fixed Assets in Oyster Harvesting

The fixed assets and their cost for oyster harvesting per season in the first scenario with purchase of a canoe are presented below in Table 8. Table 8: Fixed assets in oyster harvestingseason with canoe – first scenario Asset Quantity Unit cost Total Cost Canoe 1 4,500 4,500 Big Baskets 2 150 300 Empty rice bags 5 5 25 Paddle 1 100 100 Axe 2 100 200 Cutlass 1 100 200 Protective sweater 1 100 100 Masking hat 2 25 50 32