Short supply jacks up prices of fish in run-up to Poila Baisakh
Times of India | 12 April 2024
Kolkata: Prices of fish are steadily rising in the run-up to Poila Baisakh. Kolkatans have started to feel the pinch with the recent dip in supply, attributed to Eid celebrations and the cleaning of ponds for the Bengali New Year. With the weekend demand expected to increase, traders are bracing for a further hike in prices.
Local water bodies, which are the primary source of various types of fish, have seen little to no netting since Wednesday owing to Eid.Fishermen and wholesalers, mostly from the Muslim community, are engaged in the festivities and are likely to return only next week. This has led to a temporary halt in the supply of popular varieties like rohu, katla and bekti from nearby areas like Bantala and Canning.
Retailers like Rakesh Majhi from Maniktala market and Manik Mondal from Lansdowne are struggling to meet buyers’ demand in the absence of fresh supply. The current stock in markets is primarily from refrigerated sources, which is not as preferred by customers.
Prices have seen a noticeable increase, as observed by Chandan Dey, a regular buyer at Gariahat market. The cost of katla has risen from Rs 250 to Rs 320 per kg. Satinath Patra, a seller in the same market, confirmed the price rise across various fish types, except for prawns, which have maintained a stable price and supply.
The situation is expected to worsen with an upcoming ban on fishing in Bengal starting Monday, which will last until June 14 due to government restrictions. This will likely reduce activities in wholesale fish markets in Namkhana, Kakdwip and Diamond Harbour, said Ratan Jana, a fish dealer. The prices are predicted to climb until the onset of the monsoon.
According to Syed Anwar Maqsood from the Howrah Wholesale Market, while there isn’t a significant shortage in the market, a slight dip in fish consignments from Andhra Pradesh is expected due to Ugadi. This could affect the supply of rohu and katla in Kolkata, which relies heavily on Andhra for these varieties.