Supply shortage sends up seafood price by 50 per cent

Hit by high fuel prices, many fishermen have stayed away from venturing into the sea, bringing down supply at Kasimedu harbour. This in turn has sent up prices by about 50 per cent on Saturday. The rates would remain high on Sunday too, said traders.

The number of boats going for fishing had gone down some months ago after fuel prices started going up. But because the sale was brisk for the past two weeks, more than 3,000 trawlers ventured into the sea. “However, we are finding it difficult to make ends meet and are left with not much profit, struggling to make enough to even maintain the boats,” said Rajan K, a fisherman and wholesale trader at Kasimedu harbour.

“We are currently getting only 30 tonnes of seafood as only 1,500 boats went for fishing. This resulted in shortage, which sent the price up by 50 per cent,” he added.

Murali L, another fisherman, said limited supply and the spike in prices kept buyers away from the market on Saturday. “We are expecting the rates to decrease next month, as more boats will go fishing,” he said.

Seer fish (vanjiram) was sold for Rs 700-Rs 800 per kg, red snapper (sankara) Rs 400, prawns Rs 500, crabs Rs 300, squid Rs 350, black pomfret Rs 600 and anchovy (nethili) for Rs 250-Rs 350, said traders.