After Dussehra, fish lovers in city hope to see drop in prices

Navi Mumbai: With the nine-day Navratri festival coming to an end,

fish

lovers are hoping that its retail price will reduce. As fish was not being consumed during the nine-days festival,

prices

had skyrocketed in the retail market. Even supermarkets had troubled the rates as the demand was less.

Now, as fish is available in abundance in the markets, the variety ranges from salmon to shrimp and clams to crabs. Over the last fortnight, prices have increased drastically. Fisherfolk claim that the low demand and full catch leaves them no choice but to hike up the rates.

“A lot of fish is caught and there is a lot of variety during this season. Even restaurants who buy from us reduced their order. Hopefully, now the demand will be good,” said Bharti Tirekar, a Koli from Vashi.

With the rains almost over, the fishermen now venture deep into the sea without any fear or coastal warning.

“Prices depend on the demand. The season is good and if the demand grows, prices will reduce,” said Samiksha Shikre, another fisher woman.

Unlike bigger stores that have storage facilities, local sellers rely on ice to store their stock. So, they sell their catch at the earliest. “We try to sell the day’s catch at the earliest. Hopefully, with the prices reducing it should be easier,” said fisher woman Nilima Koli.

Now, as fish is available in abundance in the markets, the variety ranges from salmon to shrimp and clams to crabs. Over the last fortnight, prices have increased drastically. Fisherfolk claim that the low demand and full catch leaves them no choice but to hike up the rates