MARGAO
With fish now beyond the reach of the common man, fish vendors from the mega SGPDA retail market have suggested that the government fix a rate for certain varieties to make the fish affordable to the fish loving Goans.
In fact, president of the SGPDA retail fish market, Felix Gonsalves wondered how come the price of King Fish is priced around Rs 1,200 in the Goan market when the same fish is available at Karwar for around Rs 500/kg. Felix, however, said the government should have the will to cap the price of certain varieties of fish to make it affordable to the common man.
Saying there is fish scarcity in the market during the cyclonic weather conditions and unseasonal rains for the last 10 days, Gonsalves said though the weather condition has improved the price of fish has not come down till date.
He added: “Since fish is the staple food of Goans, the government should work out a mechanism to cap the fish price. If a kilogram of King Fish is available for Rs 500 in Karwar just across the border, why should Goans pay Rs 1,000-1,200 per kilogram for the same.”
Sources in the wholesale fish market informed that the price of fish has not stabilised till date despite improved conditions in the sea. A fish vendor informed that a kilogram of sole fish (lepos) was priced at a staggering Rs 400 in the wholesale fish market. “Even if we buy the fish at a high price in the wholesale fish market, we don’t think any customer will buy the fish from us in the retail market,” the vendor informed.
