MARGAO: Margao’s traditional Purmatachem fest has been the ultimate destination for dry fish lovers from across South Goa to shop for a variety of dry fish and make provision for the ensuing monsoons.
But, dry fish lovers may suddenly find dry fish dearer and beyond their reach this season. That’s not all. Perhaps for the first time, the much sought after dry shark (moriee) has almost disappeared from the stalls dotting around the old market tinto, while the stingray (Vagullem) is available at a premium rate. The price of other varieties of dry fish, including mackerels (bangde) and other lesser known variety are also beyond the easy reach of the common man.
Take the case of dry mackerels. Around 100 standard size mackerels are sold at a cost of Rs 1000 in the stalls. Small size mackerels are sold at a price in the region of Rs 500-800 for 100 depending on the size. While dry shark was not found at the stalls, stingray (Vagullem) was sold at Rs 500 per pair and upward.
Fish vendors engaged in selling dry fish have also complained of falling business this year compared to previous years. Vendors are believed to have done only little to moderate business in the first three days of the fair, and are looking out for good days ahead before the fair culminates on Sunday.
Says Alice Fernandes, a fish vendor from Colva: “The high price of dry fish is attributed to a bad fishing season this year. Forget about shark or stingrays, even mackerels were not available in abundance this year. We ourselves were forced to buy a basket of mackerels for Rs 800 and upward this season. Believe it or not, we had procured the stingrays (vagullem) from Kerala for drying”.
Explaining the absence of shark (Morie) from the stalls, Alice said that shark was not netted in plenty this season as in the past. “Shark was not available in abundance in the fish markets this season,” she said.
Josephine Fernandes echoed similar sentiments. “We had procured the stingrays from outside at high cost before drying the same at home. Naturally, the price has gone up this year.”
She said that closure of mining business and the inflation has hit the sale of dry fish this year. “We managed to do little business in the first three days. We are hoping against hope that the sale will catch up in the next four days,” she said.
