Seafood prices up by 45 pc on first Sunday of Puratasi

“Many customers reached the market on the first Sunday of Puratasi, expecting the seafood to be cheap. But the rates were quite high today and everything was sold above Rs 500 per kg. Though there has been a supply shortage for a month, it has worsened with fishermen not venturing into the sea due to strong winds and hike in diesel price,” said Prabha K, a wholesale trader at Kasimedu fish market. He added that the price hike might encourage the fishermen to go to the sea on Monday.

As opposed to the 200 tonnes of seafood on a regular day, only 75 tonnes were brought to the shores on Sunday as only 15 per cent of the fishermen ventured into the sea. The prices are expected to stay in the same range for the rest of the week, depending on the supply.

The current price of Seer fish (vangiram) in the market is at Rs 970 per kg, while black pomfret is being sold at Rs 580 per kg; prawns, Rs 410; crab, Rs 320; red snapper (sankara), Rs 415; and shark, Rs 500.