GUILHERME ALMEIDA
MARGAO
Blame it on “trust deficit” or simply low confidence level among fish-loving Goans post-formalin scare, fish markets, including Goa’s lone wholesale fish market in Margao, have not witnessed a major turnaround with vendors complaining of a dip in their daily earnings.
It’s now eight days since the new fishing season commenced on August 1, but one has hardly come across the usual rush of people in the fish markets till date.
Take the case of Goa’s wholesale fish market and the SGPDA retail fish market. At this time of the year, the two markets always used to witness a buzz of activity, but after the formalin episode things are not the same.
Welcome to the wholesale market, where outstation trucks are transporting fish from across the border from August 3 after clearances from the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA), but it’s not business as usual.
The wholesale fish market is virtually dead. The platform meant for selling fish is deserted. There are very few retail vendors around. The flow of customers is also not as usual. This reporter who made a visit to the market on Wednesday to see the ground reality, witnessed a local woman demanding with the owner of a fish-laden truck to see the FDA certificate. “I was just trying to find out whether the truck had the FDA clearance,” the woman told The Goan.
At the SGPDA retail fish market, the situation is no better. However, the number of customers to the fish market may have seen a rise after the commencement of the new fishing season as compared to the 15 days when import was banned by the government. Fish vendors said that the turn out of visitors is far below their expectations.
Says President of Margao Fish Vendors Association, Felix Gonsalves: “Things have not changed for the better after the commencement of the new fishing season. No doubt, there’s an increase in visitors to the market in the last few days, but things have not improved as was expected.”
He added: “There was a dearth of customers on Monday and Tuesday, but it was understandable given that most Hindus abstain from consuming fish on these days. But, we have not seen any appreciable increase in the customers on Wednesday.”
With Hindus bracing up for the month-long Shravan, beginning from the weekend, Felix and other vendors foresee a dip in customers and business for the next one month. “I feel that the low confidence level of people after the formalin scare has led to the prevailing situation. Things will hopefully improve as the trucks bringing in the imported fish have started entering with FDA clearances,” Felix added.
