MARGAO: Day two of the interstate fish-transport bandh called by the Margao Wholesale Fish Market Association saw an extremely low supply of fish in Margao’s market.
The consumers were the ones who bore the brunt in the battle between the trawler owners and the fish traders. On Wednesday, many shoppers returned from the market empty-handed because fish was either unavailable or had become expensive by at least 30 per cent. Mobile fish vendors were also badly affected.
As promised, the trawlers owners brought their catch to compensate for the dismal supply. However, most of the fish was small or medium-sized, which the consumers generally do not opt for. Moreover, fish that was being sold for Rs 500 a few days ago now went for double the price.
Elvis Gomes, a member of the Fishing Trawler Owners Association (FTOA) admitted that the fish supply was not optimum given the demand. He informed that they had appealed to the fish traders to reject fish only from Malvan and not other places. “The fish traders are purposely keeping the bandh to polish their egos and to blackmail the Goans at large,” he said.
“The fish price inflation is not a new thing. This is happening for quite a long time, primarily because of no control over the pricing of fish. Whatever is spoken by wholesalers and retailers is the market price and finally the sufferer is the consumer,” says customer Soccorro Aniceto.
Jose Fernandes, a ramponkar from Colva stated, “We have got small fish and mix fish on Wednesday. That is all we get every day. As it is, the catch has been low for four months now, and in June it will be stopped completely.”
