The blood cockle (Anadara granosa) industry in Batu Bara, Indonesia: A case study in profitability and strategic growth

Fishermen catch blood cockles ( Anadara granosa ) from muddy or sandy coastal waters in tropical and subtropical regions. These blood cockles have been cultivated commercially in Southeast Asia since the mid-20th century, with Malaysia pioneering the practice in 1948. In Indonesia, small-scale cultivation began in the 1960s, while more commercial and intensive farming developed in the 2010s. This research aims to analyze the income, profits, and strategies for cultivating and catching A. granosa . The study was conducted from November 2022 to April 2023 in Batu Bara Regency, North Sumatra, Indonesia, using purposive sampling to collect data through surveys and interviews with 240 respondents, consisting of 120 blood cockle fishermen and 120 business actors involved in cultivation. Cultivators were categorized by the size of their cultivated coastal plots, with small-scale defined as approximately 5 ha, medium-scale as 10 ha, and large-scale as 15 ha. The results of this research show that average annual revenue from blood cockle cultivation is USD 19,755 (small-scale), USD 25,060 (medium-scale), and USD 30,361 (large-scale). Profits are USD 5,840, USD 9,306, and USD 10,961, respectively. For the blood cockle-catching business, average annual income is USD 14,805, with profits of USD 1,212. SWOT-AHP analysis of the data indicates that the cultivation and fishing businesses are positioned in Quadrant 1, reflecting strong internal strengths—particularly high revenue and profit—and favorable external opportunities. Small-scale and non-cultivation businesses showed especially strong internal positions and supportive external conditions. Based on this evidence, indicating both high profitability and the capacity to leverage opportunities, an aggressive or growth strategy is recommended to expand production, enhance market reach, and increase the added value of products while maintaining sustainability.