KARACHI, Nov 15: Fish prices have shot up in the city by 10-15 per cent in the last one week since buyers have thronged the markets to consume the white meat as a substitute of beef and mutton which still remain short in supply despite the end of meat merchants’ strike this week.

The price of silver pompfret (small) has touched Rs220 per kg from Rs198 followed by price hike in black pompfret to Rs77 per kg from Rs66. No change was seen in the price of silver pompfret (big) at Rs330 per kg.

The price of Barred Spanish Mackerel (Surmai-Ghoor) has touched Rs165 per kg from Rs145 per kg last week. Surmai Gargan (Mackerel) rate is now tagged at Rs121 as compared to Rs110 per kg.

A random survey of fish markets in Saddar, Soldier Bazaar, Water Pump, etc., reveals prices of flat fish (Sawal) and Red Snapper (Heera) increased to Rs99 per kg as compared to Rs88.

Queen fish/Leather Jacket, commonly known as Aal/Saram in local language, carries price tag of Rs66 a kg as compared to Rs55, while Grouper/Rock Cod (Gisser) and Eal (Baam fish) are being sold at Rs99 as against Rs88 per kg.

In the category of small fishes, Bangra and Sardine fish are available at Rs27.50 per kg as compared to Rs22.

Coming to shrimps, white prawns (Jateera Jheenga) price has peaked to Rs330 per kg from Rs297 per kg, while Brown Prawns (Karli Jheenga) price has gone up to Rs198 per kg from Rs187. Patas (big and small), also known as Patas in local language, are being retailed at Rs197 and Rs110 per kg as compared to Rs165 and Rs88 per kg.

“No matter what market conditions are — it is good that fish are now gradually returning to the dining tables of general consumers,” dealers said.

Mohammad Ashraf, a fish dealer in Empress Market Saddar, said buyers’ rush in the fish market had now somewhat reduced in comparison to the last two weeks when meat scarcity hit the markets owing to strike by merchants. “In the prevailing circumstances it is good that our business is again picking up some momentum,” he added.

The dealer said the Tasman Spirit’s fear regarding polluted fish arrivals in the markets due to worst oil spill was now over. Buyers are now turning up normally, but not to that extent when meat shortage hit the city. He said sales were going normal despite the fact that meat supply had resumed. However, the market is still facing shortage of meat, specially mutton.

He said demand for fish would escalate after Ramazan followed by price increase.

Another dealer said that a negative propaganda by a TV channel, giving an impression that the entire fish landing was polluted with oil, had played havoc with fish business in recent months and till today fish markets did not reflect the last year’s buying fervour.

Dealers are selling the fish and fishery products as per daily price statement, being issued by the Fishermen’s Cooperative Society (FCS) during Ramazan. A dealer at Water Pump said that he was selling fish at Rs5 to Rs10 per kg lesser, if compared with prevailing prices in the list. He was seen convincing buyers that the current rates were still lower as compared to few months back.

An official at the Marine Fisheries Department said that the landing of fish had been going normal and during September- October it ranged between 300 and 700 tons per day.

He said fish prices had declined by about 30 per cent followed by decrease in consumption by 40-50 per cent as a result of country’s worst oil spill from Tasman Spirit that ran aground on July 27. On the contrary, the reality is different which the buyers have slowly started realising that no commercial fishing is being conducted in the surrounding of Tasman Spirit. However, only small size fish is being netted near the unlucky oil tanker, which has no commercial exploitation.

Pakistan’s total landing of fish and fishery products from marine and inland waters stood at 522,200 tons in 2002, out of which 80,100 tons had been exported, fetching Rs6.9 billion, he said.