NAGAPATTINAM: Fish merchants in Nagapattinam have been unable to ride the wave of demand for seafood due to strikes by fishers over the purse seine fishing issue. Sales of chicken and other poultry have gone down drastically everywhere in Tamil Nadu due to rumours they carry viruses, including coronavirus. Seafood prices and demand have risen concurrently, benefitting traders and vendors. However, Nagapattinam is the one district unable to cater to demand because of protests and an ongoing strike over banned fishing nets across the district.
J Senthil Kumar, a merchant from Pompuhar, said, “My business is in places like Chennai and Kerala. While merchants in other places have benefitted from the current demand, I could not procure fish here due to the strike.” The conflict among villages has widened after a mid-sea clash between Keechankuppam mechanised boat fishers and Vellapallam fibreglass boat fishers after the latter objected to the former’s use of banned nets. Vedaranyam taluk fishers have called a strike against the use of such nets by Nagapattinam taluk fishers. Fishers from taluks like Sirkazhi and Tharangambadi have also announced strikes against the use of nets by mechanised boat fishers.
The demand for fish has not only increased due to the coronavirus scare but also to a shortage of supplies from Nagapattinam district. “My business is mainly for Kerala. I export squid, sardines and mackerel. Those who buy fish from me are opting to buy from other districts after learning about the strikes in Nagapattinam. We, too, have been affected by the conflict,” said S Nagarathinam, a marketing agent from Vellapallam.
Price of chicken and other poultry have tumbled to half their usual rates. In the case of fish, expensive varieties like seers and pomfret, moderately priced varieties such as trevally, red snapper and barracuda and cheaper varieties such as anchovies have seen their prices rise by 25 per cent at the same time. The demand for crab, squid and prawn has also increased. Fish merchants are bewailing heir misfortune of not being able to capitalise on it.
The public is eventually feeling the pinch by getting caught up in a dilemma when it comes to buying food items. A Appar Sundaram, a social activist from Mayiladuthurai, said, “Sensitisation should be at all levels - the public, consumers, merchants, traders and even fishers - about avoiding capitalising on an emergency. The government must dispel rumours to control the prices of food items in the market. Fishers must try to follow elf-discipline in their ways and resolve their conflicts.”