Fish prices soared by 25% on Thursday as supplies shrunk following a strike by trawler owners protesting the hike in diesel prices. A crisis is imminent with the strike likely to be total from Saturday, sources said.
“The supply has been hit by non-operation of lots of trawlers,” fish supplier Pravin Agarwal said. The strike has not been uniform and a few vessels are still venturing out to the sea. Fish netted by canoes and import of fish from outside the state is helping keep up the supply partly. From Saturday the trawler strike is expected to be total.
Speaking to TOI, Mandovi fishermen marketing cooperative society chairman Menino Afonso said the strike had been called to protest the transferring of fishing from the agriculture sector to the industrial sector. The change of sectors meant that diesel sold to trawler owners in bulk now costs Rs 61.35 a litre, a steep rise of Rs 11 per litre.
Fishermen based in Mumbai have petitioned Union agriculture minister Sharad Pawar to resolve the issue, it is learnt. “We’re expecting Pawar to intervene in the matter and resolve the issue. If there is no solution by Friday or Saturday, then we will intensify the agitation from Saturday onwards,” Afonso said.
The decision to hike the diesel price was taken by the Union petroleum ministry following the classification of the fishing sector into the industrial sector. Diesel prices were heavily subsidized while fishing was in the agricultural sector. The central government has cut subsidies amounting to Rs 15,000 crore annually, with the cut amounting to Rs 3,400 in the current financial year ending March 31, it is learnt.
According to Afonso, there is little that the state government can do in the matter since it’s for the Union petroleum ministry to take a call.
Trawler owners from Cutbona jetty also protested the hike in diesel prices. Cutbona trawler owners association president Patrick D’Silva said no trawler ventured into the sea on Thursday. He expressed his disapproval over the move of the government in classifying the trawler business as an industry.
“The protest will be intensified. We have sent messages to all trawlers out in the sea to return soon and stay anchored at the jetty,” D’Silva said.
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