CHENNAI: Fish prices in Chennai are set to rise this weekend owing to a fall in supply in the market as a smaller number of boats could set sail into the sea due to rough weather this week.
A senior official in the fisheries department said normally around 100 boats venture into the sea every day, bringing in about 200 to 250 tonnes of fish. "This week, only about 30 to 40 boats could set sail from Kasimedu fishing harbour, bringing down the catch to only 80 tonnes a day. It is a normal phenomenon during this time of year."
A Ragupathi, a boat owner, said the temperature of surface water goes up this time of the year, leading to gusty wind. "So, it is not advisable to sail out into the sea," he said.
Anbu, a trader at Chintadripet fish market which caters to both retail and wholesale buyers, said as the supply of fish has fallen, prices of popular varieties of fish are bound to go up. "Vanjiarm, sankara, nethili, paarai, and karuppu vaaval will definitely be costlier. Prices of these fish are expected to go up by at least 50 to 100 per kg this weekend," he said.
Vanjiram was priced at 1,000 per kg last week, which is expected to go up to 1,200/kg this weekend. Sankara was sold at 300/kg and is expected to be sold at 350/kg this time. Nethili, which sold for 250/kg last week, will be costlier by 75. Paarai's price (600/kg last week) will cost 650/kg. Karuppu vaaval (600/kg last week) will be costlier by 25.
Prices of both crabs and prawns will also go up, he said, adding that with the reduction in the catch from Chennai coastline, fish are arriving from Mangaluru and Malpe in Karnataka.