The rising cost of fish in Goa sparked a debate in the Legislative Assembly on Wednesday, with several MLAs urging the government to rein in exports and ensure that local Goans can access fish at affordable prices.
Raising the issue through a starred question, Santa Cruz MLA Rudolf Fernandes blamed the uncontrolled export of fish from the State for making a staple food item increasingly unaffordable for Goans. He pressed the government to take concrete steps to stabilise prices and prioritise local consumption.
Responding to concerns, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant assured the House that the government would frame a fisheries policy, aimed at providing fish to Goans at subsidised rates. Sawant added that Goans want fish as it is also one of the staple foods. He told Leader of the Opposition Yuri Alemao that the State government had already restarted subsidy scheme to fishermen.
Fisheries Minister Nilkanth Halarnkar, however, denied that fish exports from the State were uncontrolled, stating that the activity is regulated by the Union Ministry of Commerce through the Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA). According to Halarnkar, Goa exported 45,469 tonnes of fish in the 2024-25 financial year.
Highlighting initiatives already in place, Halarnkar said the government had launched e-rickshaws with refrigerated units to sell fresh fish directly on the streets, ensuring better accessibility and freshness.
Opposition MLAs expressed concern that 92 per cent of the State’s cold chain infrastructure is in private hands, which limits access for local fishermen and forces them to sell at lower margins. Benaulim MLA Venzy Viegas offered to help establish cold chain facilities through CSR funding, provided the government shows interest. He also called for a direct marketing platform to eliminate middlemen and support traditional fishing communities.
Chief Minister Sawant said the government was open to public-private partnerships to expand the cold chain network and help regulate fish prices. He also encouraged Velim MLA Cruz Silva to convene a meeting between traditional fishermen and mechanised boat owners to address their issues.
MLAs Vijai Sardesai, Viresh Borkar and Delilah Lobo also supported the demand for subsidised fish for locals, underlining the growing unaffordability of what has long been a dietary staple for Goans.