RAMANATHAPURAM: Ramanathapuram fishermen want the state government to break export cartels that prevent them from realising the full value of their catch.
Fishermen, who returned to the sea after the annual fishing ban on Tuesday, landed a bumper catch of prawns, squid and crabs, nearly three times the usual quantity.
However, the massive haul has failed to bring cheer among fishermen as export syndicates allegedly dictate prices, leaving them with no proper mechanism to determine the value of their catch.
Fishermen have urged the state government to intervene and break the alleged syndicate system, ensuring a fair pricing mechanism for their produce.
Following the conclusion of the 61-day annual fishing ban on June 14, hundreds of mechanised boat fishermen in Ramanathapuram district resumed fishing activities, hoping to recover losses incurred during the ban period. More than 700 mechanised boats, carrying around 3,500 fishermen, set sail from the Rameswaram fishing harbour on Sunday evening and began returning from the early hours of Tuesday.
According to fishermen, the first catch after the ban brought an unexpected windfall, with around two lakh kilogram of export-quality prawns, squid and crabs being brought ashore, apart from nearly 3 lakh kg of other fish varieties.
However, the initial excitement soon faded as exporters allegedly refused to announce fixed prices for prawns and crabs, citing the increased supply in the market. Fishermen claimed that traders purchased the catch without revealing prices, forcing them to accept rates decided by buyers.
Normally, premium-quality prawns fetch more than Rs 500 per kg, while crabs also command high prices. But fishermen alleged that exporter groups were controlling the market and pushing prices down despite the high demand for export varieties.
All Mechanised Boat Fishermen Association president P Jesuraj said fishermen had invested heavily during the fishing ban period, expecting better returns from their first trip after the break.
“Prawns and crabs were caught in quantities ranging between 100 and 200 kg per boat, while squid was also available in large numbers. Usually, we get only around 25 to 50 kg, but this time the catch is two to three times higher. We expected a profit of Rs 10,000 to Rs 50,000 from the first trip. However, traders who earlier purchased prawns at around Rs 700 per kg and crabs at Rs 350 to Rs 400 per kg are now refusing to announce prices and are buying only on their terms,” he said.
He added that traders had been purchasing prawns, crabs and squid since Monday without informing fishermen about the prices. He also alleged that large quantities of crabs were dumped into the sea due to poor transportation arrangements by traders.
Pamban-based boat owner and fishermen association leader M Emarald said fish prices had increased significantly, with some varieties fetching Rs 350 to Rs 500 per kg, but the overall catch remained lower than normal.
He alleged that continuous fishing by country boats in deep-sea areas during the 61-day ban had affected fish availability. However, since crab, prawn and squid nets differ from those used by country boats, these bottom-dwelling species had increased after the ban but failed to provide expected benefits to fishermen due to pricing issues.
National President of All-India Fishermen’s Congress S Armstrong Fernando said “Instead, our catch is being purchased at throwaway prices. The state government should establish a system to ensure fair prices. Coordinating with traders and conducting open auctions could help resolve the pricing issues.
