16-05-2025
Prices of freshwater fish, prawn soar in AP
Visakhapatnam: Prices of freshwater fish, prawn and some varieties of seafood have surged significantly in the state following the implementation of a two-month fishing ban, which is aimed to protect breeding marine life.
The annual ban, enforced from April 15 to June, has led to price rise ranging from 30 to 40% in various fish varieties.
Freshwater fish like Rohu (Sheelavathi), Carp (Bangarupapa) and Katla (Bocha), which typically sell for 160/kg, are now being sold for 200-300/ kg, depending on the size of the fish. The price of freshwater prawn (Vannamei Shrimp) has jumped from 300/kg to 400/kg. Sweet water fish Koramenu (Red Snapper), which was earlier sold for 600/kg, is now available in the markets for 700/kg.
Similarly, the price of Matta Gidasa has increased from 300/kg to 400/kg.
"Theprices of fresh and mud water fish are expected to rise due to non-availability of the popular varieties of sea fish on account of annual fishing ban in the summer," said Aruna, a fish vendor at Madhurawada in Vizag city.
"High demand coupled with very limited supply of sea fish has pushed prices upwards," she added.
Currently, major fishing harbours like Vizag, Kakinada, and few others, and landing centres in the state wear a deserted look due to a halt in fishing activities.
Popular varieties of sea food such as silver pomfret, locally known as Chanduva, Vanjaram and Konam (small and big seer) and some varieties of prawn were almost unavailable in the open markets. In hotels and restaurants, price of some sea food delicacies have gone up due to shortage of stock in the market.
In some hotels, the management have stopped serving sea food delicacies, and are offering only freshwater fish and prawn dishes.
The availability of popular sea fish is very low and the prices of Vanjaram (seer fish) jumped from 600/kg to 800/kg in the retail markets.
"Several fish varieties, particularly Koramenu fish and mud crabs ( 800-1,000/ kg) have become luxury items, and hence, beyond the reach of common people this summer. We have cut down the consumption by 20-30%," said V Ganesh, a private employee from Vizag city.
Fish and prawn traders opined that the prices will increase in the coming days as the availability of the varieties is slowly decreasing following the rising temperature.
