Team Herald
PONDA: Goans may have been hit hard by the fish formalin issue, but that has not dampened the spirits of Pondaites, who have now been thronging Ponda market rooting for “olmi” (edible mushrooms).
Today, one can witness fish missing from the platter in Goan homes on account of formalin content in fish, which has left Goans disappointed. But the scene in the Ponda market is different. Just imagine the market has witnessed a sudden spurt in vendors selling mushrooms and that too at an exorbitant price. Despite the prevailing situation, Pondaites have been rushing to get the olmi on their platter during weekends.
Ramnath Naik and his family said, “With the government banning fish imports from other States we are not used to having a vegetarian food on a daily basis. Most fishermen sell the local variety of fish in small quantities and that too at exorbitant rates.”
Another resident Umesh Naik said, “I will not consume fish until the government declares that the fish sold in the market is formalin-free. At present I have made minor adjustments as I have switched to egg and chicken-based food. Due to sudden demand a portion of local variety of chicken is sold at an exorbitant price. Since the last two days, the market is flooded with edible mushrooms, which are beyond the reach of the common man. But we have been purchasing “olmi”, which range from Rs 500 to Rs 1,500 depending upon their size and quality. A portion contains 50 mushrooms as compared to 100 pieces last year. The fish-starved locals rush to buy “olmi” during the weekends.”
The vendors in the Ponda market said, “Edible mushrooms are in demand and the locals labour hard for days in the forest to search mushrooms. We purchase the edible mushrooms from the local youth.”
It is pertinent to note that at the beginning of August, for around two weeks, locals dot the Goan roadside hawking handpicked “olmi”. These edible mushrooms grow in the wild near termite mounds in the forested hills of rural Goa.
