MARGAO/CUNCOLIM: Despite fishing being a major sector in Goa, the absence of adequate cold storage facilities near fishing jetties have been a major obstacle in the way of growth in the industry.
While this is the case at the Cutbona jetty in South Goa and the Malim jetty in north Goa, trawler owners have pointed out that this has been a major problem as it prevents them from preserving the large quantity of fish they bring in for a longer period and also causes major financial losses.
Around eight years ago, the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABADR) had allocated Rs 1,000 crore as direct finance for such projects in the country but only ice factories were set up and trawler owners point out that the size of these factories is another bottleneck given the mismatch in the number of trawlers and the resources available at such ice factories. Trawler owners lament that the wholesale fish traders who import fish into the State face an advantage over them due to this and that the government has let them down in this aspect.
“We are demanding a fish storage facility at Cutbona Fish Jetty but unfortunately nothing has been done in this regard. Many promises were made by politicians but we still depend on ice plants. Because of unavailability of fish storage facilities many times boat owners face huge loss,” said Patrick D’Silva, former President of the Cutbona Boat Owners Development Union Society.
Patrick also said that the reason behind the depleting fish production in Goa is due to the problems with the infrastructure at the jetty.
Members of the Trawler owner Society at the Malim jetty also pointed out that their demand for a cold storage facility has not been executed despite repeated demands raised for it.
