Prices of fish and veggies soar in Kerala, consumers grumble

Climate playing truant has set the prices of essential commodities soaring in Kerala and the consumers are forced to deal with a two to three fold increase in their prices.

According to traders, adverse weather conditions have cut into the crops of neighbouring States, who are the largest suppliers of vegetables. Dip in yield, severe imbalance in production pattern, and the surge in transportation costs have affected both wholesalers and retailers in the State, leaving the consumers in a tight spot.

‘All-time high’

While everything produced in Tamil Nadu, from kitchen staples to Madurai malli (jasmine), recorded a sharp increase of late, fish prices too have gone through the roof. “Many middle-income families are struggling to meet their daily requirement. Usually we switch to vegetables during trawl ban when fish prices go higher. But now we cannot afford either as the rates have skyrocketed, taking our expenditure to an all-time high. The situation is putting immense strain on household budgets,” says Divya, a homemaker.

While traditional fishers used to bring large volumes of pelagic fish species like mackerel and sardine during trawling ban, this year all landing centres have reported a huge dip in catch. Jenet Cleetus, fish vendor and the Thrivananthapuram district secretary of Kerala Swatantra Matsyathozhilali Federation, says climate change has affected marine landings and their livelihood. “This year we experienced the harshest summer in recent history and we feel the shoals must have changed their geographic range. They must have migrated to deeper and cooler parts, leaving the coastal waters empty. Also, sea has been extremely rough this season and traditional crafts are unable to cut through the waves. Due to all these factors, there has been an alarming decline in catch,” she says.

Sardine price

Sardine, generally considered as a cheap option among buyers, now fetches around ₹400 per kilo while a single mackerel is sold for nearly ₹100. “Women vendors like us used to sell around 50 to 60 kg of fish a day and now it’s a task to sell five kilos. Anchovy was earlier sold for ₹80 per kilo, but now the price is over ₹300. Number of consumers have come down, while the hostility of buyers is another issue we face,” she adds.

Rajesh G. P., a vegetable wholesaler from Ernakulam, points out crop damage as the main reason for the surge in prices. “We buy vegetables from Mettupalyalm, Ootty, Bengaluru, and Mysuru. Due to heavy rains, crop damage is nearly 50% in all production centres. Last week there was widespread rains in Ootty and Mysuru, impacting the output of various crops,” he says. While tomato prices have hit ₹100 in retail market in many places, green chilly, beans, and cabbage have also become dearer.

“Carrot consignments come with a considerable percentage of damage and we are not able to keep them for more than a day. Currently the price is hovering around ₹60 and retailers will be selling it for ₹80. If the rain continues, procuring vegetables will be an issue and the prices are likely to soar further,” adds Mr. Rajesh.