Supply shortage surged seafood prices by 15 percent at Kasimedu market

Traders said that after a month the demand has raised at the market, till next month the rates would remain high even though there is no supply shortage.

“Compared to last two weeks, the market saw double the crowd where more than 1,000 customers and retail vendors came to purchase. Also, after a warning issued for fishermen not to venture into the sea, only a few boats went for fishing, and they didn’t go in the deep sea for catching seafood so we saw at least 30 percent of supply shortage,” said Vishnu MP, a wholesale trader at Kasimedu fishing harbor.

“As people didn’t buy fish for almost a month due to the rainfall, today the demand was high so the price increased by 15 percent. All the seafood was sold before noon,” he added.

On Sunday, Seer fish (vanjiram) sold for Rs 700 – Rs 850 per kg, prawns Rs 300 – Rs 900 per kg, black pomfret Rs 450 – Rs 500 per kg, sea bass (koduva) Rs 500 per kg, anchovy (nethili) Rs 300 per kg, Bluefin Travelly (para) Rs 400 per kg, red snapper (sankara) Rs 300 per kg.

“Post-pandemic our sale went down drastically due to increase in fuel price and rainfall, but hereafter, due to the festival seasons, the prices will double up till next month. Though there is supply shortage or not the rates will be high than usual,” said Sivashankar K, another wholesale trader.