MARGAO: Wholesale fish agents at Goa’s lone wholesale fish market at Margao preferred to keep their fingers crossed on Friday on their very fate of carrying out the wholesale fish business as the Public Health Department circular virtually bans traders from carrying out wholesale fish trade in the market without a valid licence/registration from the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA).
With most of the wholesalers not in possession of the licence to carry out the business, wholesalers seemed resigned to their fate over the state of things to come as the circular is expected to come into force with immediate effect. Sources said that many a wholesale fish agent used to import the fish in non-insulated vehicles, which has now been made mandatory in the Public Health Department’s circular.
These agents were trying to figure out late evening whether the authorities will start implementing the circular from Saturday morning given the fact that trucks laden with fish have already left for the Margao wholesale fish market from the neighbouring states.
“We will get a clear picture of the situation on Saturday morning. We are in receipt of the circular which states that it will come into force with immediate effect. On the other hand, trucks transporting fish have already left these neighbouring states for Margao,” remarked a wholesale fish agent.
He admitted that most of the wholesale fish agents are not in possession of the licence for the simple reason that the Margao Municipality has still not processed their file for licences. “The Municipality has raised some queries, and we have replied to the FDA as well. So far, neither the licence nor the certification has come to the wholesalers from the authorities till date,” he said.
