Cold front, shortage of stocks pushes seafood prices up by 20% in Pune

PUNE Seafood prices in the city have risen by atleast 20 per cent over the last few days, with wholesale stockists and vendors attributing the increase to the onslaught

PUNE Seafood prices in the city have risen by atleast 20 per cent over the last few days, with wholesale stockists and vendors attributing the increase to the onslaught of cold

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weather and a shortage of arrival of fresh seafood stocks.

Promfret (large) is currently selling at Rs 1,400 per kg in Pune, while it was Rs 1,200 per kg last week.

A smaller-sized promfret is selling at Rs900, while it was priced at Rs700 per kg last week.

Also, the small-sized promfret is selling at Rs750 while it price was Rs 500 last week.

“Small -sized promfrets are quite popular with middle-class families. We are managing to keep prices as low as possible so that we don’t lose out on business. Also, there has been shortage of fresh stocks which has led to escalation of prices. Besides, the demand for seafood goes up in winter,” said Suraj Pardeshi, a fish merchant at the Chhatrapati Shivaji fish market in Camp.

Similarly, the popular eel, is currently priced at Rs 800 per kg, when it was selling at between Rs 500-600 per kg last week.

Also, another local favourite, the wet Bombay duck is selling at Rs 400 per kg, when it is usually sold at Rs 100 throughout the year, and at Rs 200 per kg during winter.

Jumbo prawns are currently priced at Rs 1,400 per kg, as compared to Rs 1,200 last week; lobsters are selling at Rs 1,300 per kg, when they were priced at Rs 1,000 per kg last week.

Shamim Shaikh, who works as school teacher in Wanowrie, said, “Fish prices have gone up and there is no authority to keep prices in check. Seafood is currently going beyond the reach of the common man.”

Pratik Bhoyar, a member of the Fish Wholesale Association, said, “Seafood is in demand due to winter, Covid-19 and also shortage of stocks. However, we feel that after December prices will come down to normal and buyers will not have any reason to complain.”

District collector Rajesh Deshmukh said that he would look into the issue and find if any action needs to be initiated.