MAPUSA
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Wednesday told the Goa Legislative Assembly that the State government will formulate a policy within the next six months to ensure the availability of subsidised fish for Goans.
The move aims to make fish affordable and accessible for locals, who consider it a staple in their daily diet.
Sawant said the government is aware of the rising cost of fish and the concerns raised by locals about its availability.
“We know Goans love their fish, curry and rice. So far, we don’t have a policy in place, but we will introduce one within six months to provide subsidised fish to Goans,” he stated, while responding to Opposition queries during Question Hour.
The Chief Minister also said the government was exploring the possibility of establishing a food quality lab at the Fatorda fish market and was positively looking at developing cold chain management systems that could involve local stakeholders.
The discussion was initiated by BJP MLA Rudolf Fernandes, who pointed out that uncontrolled fish exports were making fish unaffordable for Goans.
“They send fish outside and Goans are left without it. Prices go up and people can’t buy it. What is the government doing to curb these exports?” Fernandes asked.
Responding to the concern, Fisheries Minister Nilkanth Halarnkar said fish export is regulated by the Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA), which functions under the Central government.
“There is no uncontrolled export of fish from the State,” Halarnkar clarified.
However, Leader of Opposition Yuri Alemao dismissed the Minister’s written reply as a bureaucratic evasion.
“It’s a bureaucratic hand wash. The issue is not about technicalities but about the lack of local monitoring and control. This is a policy failure, not a market failure,” Alemao said, urging the government to cap exports and provide fish at affordable rates.
Goa Forward Party MLA Vijai Sardesai added that 92 per cent of the State’s cold chain capacity is in private hands and urged the government to have more regulatory control.
He also recommended setting up a dedicated food quality lab.
AAP MLA Cruz Silva highlighted the persistent tensions between traditional fishermen and mechanised trawler owners and called for a joint meeting to resolve their issues.
Responding to this, the Chief Minister assured that the government would call a meeting with both stakeholders to sort out internal disputes and move towards a more unified fisheries policy.
