Daijiworld Media Network - Margao

Margao, Nov 9: With fish prices soaring beyond the reach of the common man, vendors from the South Goa Planning and Development Authority (SGPDA) retail market have urged the government to fix prices for popular varieties to make fish affordable again for Goans.

President of the SGPDA Retail Fish Market Felix Gonsalves expressed concern over the steep rise in prices, questioning why King Fish costs around ?1,200 per kg in Goa while the same is available in Karwar for Rs 500 per kg.

“The government must show the will to cap the price of certain fish varieties to make them affordable to the common man,” Gonsalves said.

He attributed the current price hike to fish scarcity caused by cyclonic weather and unseasonal rains over the past ten days. “Even though the weather has improved, the price of fish has not come down,” he added.

Calling fish the staple food of Goans, Gonsalves urged the state authorities to develop a mechanism to regulate market rates. “If the same King Fish costs Rs 500 just across the border, why should Goans pay double or more?” he questioned.

Sources from the wholesale market said that prices have not stabilised despite improved sea conditions. A vendor reported that sole fish (lepos) is being sold at Rs 400 per kg in the wholesale market, leaving retailers unable to sell it profitably to customers.

“Even if we buy the fish at such high rates, no customer will be ready to purchase it in the retail market,” the vendor said.

Fish, once considered an everyday necessity in Goan households, is fast turning into a luxury — leaving both vendors and consumers appealing for urgent government intervention.