Mangaluru: In this unprecedented age, the main coastal food, the price of Mackerel skyrocketed from Rs 420 to Rs 500 per kilo.
Premium fish such as Seer prices have risen to 1,100 per kilo, so have a white pomfret price.
Although paying this high price, fish products are not fresh sea.
They arrived here after a 36-50 hour trip from the east coast of India – Andhra Pradesh or Tamil Nadu – with a truck.
With a fishing ban for 60 days since the beginning of the month, the price of fish usually sees an increase of 20% -30% of the applicable rates during the fisheries season.
But this year, prices have seen a serious surge.
The last monsoon during the ban, the price of Mackerel around Rs 300 per kilo, but this time it has risen to Rs 420- Rs 500 per kg, depending on where it is bought.
But the price of sardines, other food staples, almost the same as last year drifted at Rs 250 per kilo.
Sadiq, a fish seller, said this season the majority of fish came from Tamil Nadu, especially thoothukudi (formerly Tuticorin), and Andhra Pradesh.
While Mackerels Andhra is smaller and does not have the same type of taste as Tamil Nadu Mackerels, the demand is high and so does the price.
While Andhra Mackerel sold at Rs 360 per kg, Thashukudi Mackerel was sold with Rs 420 per kg.
Even though there are cultured shrimp throughout the year and cheaper with Rs 300 per kilo, the marine shrimp worth Rs 280 to Rs 460 per kilo depends on its size.
“Greater size, higher price,” said Sadiq added Seer and White Pomfret to spend higher fees than Rs 800- 900 per kilo.
“We get two boxes of each sardine and mackerel, every box weighing 30 kg, and a little left at the end of the day, said Sadiq shows the demand for fish in this country.