At 6 a.m., one can almost feel the pulse and the rhythm of life that runs through every nook and corner of the place. In every way, the Fishing Harbour is much more than a seafood hub. As I pass by heaps of baskets spilling over with lobsters, prawns, crabs, vanjaram (king fish), silvery nethallu and konam (seer fish) and loud calls of auctioneers calling out prices for a huge multi-coloured lobster followed by tough negotiations between suppliers and fishermen – the energy of the Fishing Harbour sucks me deep within it. This is the lifeline of a colossal wave of humanity.
Amidst the bustle of the place, a loud voice calls out to a customer. There is a sudden silence that follows. And all eyes turn towards a stout aged woman, seemingly angry, sitting with heaps of massive-sized lobsters. Not much of words are exchanged but the lobsters change hands, while the next customer waits for his turn nervously.
At 65, Buliamma still commands the same respect among the fishing community as she did 40 years ago when she first stepped into the fish exporting business. Today her name is enough to send shivers down the spine of many! For, she is not only one of the first women to enter the fishing trade, she has also earned a name for her fair practice in business, has an enviable network with exporters across the country and is ruthlessly uncompromising when it comes to her commitment and quality at work.
The beginning
Hailing from the fishing community, she used to accompany her aunt to the Fishing Harbour as a teenager. It was there that she saw how traditional fishermen like her father were exploited by the traders and how they received a raw deal at the auction floor. At the age of 20, she stepped into the trade of procuring fish from the traditional fishermen and supplying it to hotels and restaurants of the city. Today, she has a network of 40 mechanised fishing boats that she has financed, commands loyalty of the entire fishing community and has a turnover of Rs 10 lakh per month. “She is the most respected, and at the same time, feared woman of the Fishing Harbour. Every one in the business wants to be associated with her. The only thing that we are scared of is her short temper. If she is angry, she can shoot you down with her words!” says R K Raju, who is in the business of fishing from the past 20 years.
A fair deal
Such is her reputation that even in times of crisis when the market is flooded with supply and demand is not on par, the fishermen know that Buliamma would be the only person to give a fair price. “I value the hardwork of these fishermen. It takes hours and sometimes days for them to get a decent catch. My policy has been to maintain a standard rate of the catch and never exploit them,” she says, sternly. Uneducated and single, she today is an exemplary figure for all her family members. Her younger sister, Nokalamma looks up to her and has built her own business by watching her elder sister grow. She today is the main seafood supplier to the Taj group and has an average turnover of Rs 7 lakh per month. “Five years ago, I used to supply to all the star category hotels. But because of health issues, I am not able to take up the work load now,” says Nokalamma. “The problem is with the young fishermen today. They lack work ethics and ruin their lives by sinking in liquor bottles. How much can we chase them!” she adds. Despite the challenges, both the sisters have established their enterprises in a way that very few in the business have managed to do.
Jalaripeta, the colony of fishing community, is a patchwork of houses, some concrete structures and others fragile houses with asbestos roof sheets. Here, Buliamma lives in a two-storeyed ‘pakka’ house along with her three sisters. “We are all each other’s strength,” she adds. From dealing with businessmen, hotel representatives and exporters to managing the finances, everything is handled by the two sisters. Their strong commitment and work ethics took them to many cities across India and earned them a strong place in the fish export market. “I have travelled all over India with my sister – Mumbai, Kolkata, Kochi. The only place where I am yet to set foot is Goa and hope to make it some day soon,” says Buliamma.
As we speak, a small crowd gathers on the auction floor, an open deck near the sea, to purchase the first catch brought by fishermen from mechanised boats. Buliamma and Nokalamma take a round silently to get a sense of the day’s catch, while the fishermen look at them expectantly.