Encouraging landings cheer fishers as a standoff threatens to disrupt business

The first of the trawlers returned to the Kalamukku fishing harbour on Vypeen island in the heart of Kochi early hours of Monday with substantial catch of shrimp (poovalan and karikkadi) and threadfin

The first of the trawlers returned to the Kalamukku fishing harbour on Vypeen island in the heart of Kochi early hours of Monday with substantial catch of shrimp (poovalan and karikkadi) and threadfin bream (kilimeen). The first landings have brought cheers to boat owners but the demand by fish merchants and commission agents to raise the auction discount to 16% now threatens to disrupt business. It has been a practice to offer discount on the auction price to wholesale fish buyers and agents. If the landings is worth ₹100, the actual price received by the boat owner is ₹87. The agents are now demanding that the rate be hiked to 16% with the general business burden suffered by the sellers in the wake of COVID-19 lockdown and subsequent market losses.