BALASORE: With the one-and-a-half-month fishing ban in force since April 1 in the State, price of fish, considered a favourite food item for people in the coastal Balasore district, has skyrocketed. Prices of almost all varieties of fishes have doubled due to less market supply.
According to market sources, while Hilsa is being sold at Rs 200 to Rs 300 a kg depending on the size, pomfret costs Rs 350 a kg. Prices of mullet, ribbon fish and mackarel are sold between Rs 70 and Rs 100 and beckty is sold at Rs 150. Rates of sweet water fishes like Magur, Saula, Kau and Gadisa are also higher than the sea fish. All these fishes are being sold over Rs 100 a kg.
Rohu and Katla, which mostly come from Andhra Pradesh, are sold at Rs 80 and Rs 100 respectively, Rs 20 more than their previous rates. ‘‘After the price hike of essential commodities, we mostly depended on fishes which were available at Rs 30 a kg. But now the same variety is sold at Rs 70 a kg,’’ lamented Saroj Kumar Swain, a resident.
As per the Fishery Department circular, no fishing would be allowed at the confluence of river and the sea, the source of wide varieties of fishes, from April 15 to May 31 as during this period, fishes lay eggs.
Balasore district requires nearly three tonnes of fish on a daily basis but the supply currently is just 50 kg.