City fish vendors bombarded with safety queries

NT NETWORK

Panaji

Even as people continue to flock to the city fish market to buy their staple food, they are cautious while making purchases with the formalin-in-fish scare at the back of their minds.

Despite the ban on fishing, a variety of fish was available in the Panaji municipal fish market with fresh fish selling like hot cakes.

While some buyers were checking the fish by monitoring the grills, others smelt it and many bombarded vendors with questions till they got satisfactory answer.

This shows that even after a year, the issue of formalin-in-fish is still alive in the minds of the consumers with most people still patronising small and fresh fish brought from the sea.

On Wednesday, six pieces of fresh mackerels (brought from Karwar) were selling for Rs 200 while a kg of fresh baby mackerels was available for Rs 200. 

A portion of fresh mixed fish was sold for Rs 200 as well as a kg and baby chonok and was sold for Rs 500 and 700 a kg while fresh pomfrets were sold for Rs 700 to 800 a kg.

Prawns of three different types were available in the market and prices ranged from Rs 350 to 500 depending upon the freshness and size.