Crowds thronged Puthur fish market in the city on Saturday. Many stocked up fish and meat ahead of the weekly total lockdown on Sunday.
They queued up before wholesale and retail shops as soon as they opened at 4 a.m. and dispersed only four hours later, vendors said.
The fish comes from Thanjavur, Nagapattinam and other nearby coastal areas. “We find it difficult to source our catch. This has led to hike in prices. However, many of our customers who are pescatarians continue to buy from us,” says R. Prabha, vendor.
The vendors are happy as they are able to make a living. “We have reduced the amount of stock by half. Since the outbreak of the pandemic, some have stopped buying fish. We barely make profit during the week, but sales on Saturdays are reasonable,” he said.
“We eat fish only on Sunday. Hence, we buy it a day in advance and marinate it,” says M. Bharathi, a resident of Woraiyur.
A section of residents, however, are against the functioning of the markets. “On the one hand, people are fighting to control the spread of the viral infection and, on the other, there are those carelessly wandering outside,” contends M. Sekaran, chairman, Citizens Forum.
All fish and meat markets should be closed over the weekend, he says.
“If Gandhi Market, where essentials such as fruits and vegetables are sold, can be closed, why is the district administration not closing down these markets?” he wonders.