PANAJI: Mobile fish vans of the department of fisheries which were launched to sell fish to fish lovers at subsidised rates are turning out to be a burden on the fisherman’s co-operative societies, which are currently operating five such vans.
Apart from being unable to conduct business due to high operation cost of the vehicles, the mobile van operators also face threats from the local fish sellers, who threaten the van operators, as they cut into their business.
“People armed with sticks chase our vans. We want to sell fish at many places but lobbies don’t allow us and they are backed by influential politicians. We are under constant pressure and threat while conducting our business,” said Joseph Vaz, secretary of the Navelchea Xetkaracho Ekvott Co-operative Farming Society. This society is one of the beneficiaries of the mobile fish stall scheme.
“We accept that we cannot operate in the existing market, but it’s our right to sell fish at least 100 metres away from the market areas. Due to fear, we are forced to conduct business within a limited area,” he said.
The mobile fish vans were handed over by the fisheries department to societies and self-help groups, which buy fish from the wholesale markets and sell it to the public at five per cent above the wholesale rate, at various designated places everyday in rotation. However, as these vans create a monopoly in the local fish market, the interference of these vans is hated by the locals. One such mobile fish van operator Zuari Fishermen Marketing Co-operative Society had to settle down with only one selling point where the operator finds fewer customers.
“When we go to sell our fish, the local fish sellers start objecting to our presence although we are three to five kilometres away from the market. They feel that we dominate them. Hence, we have identified one place and carry out our sales from the same place. However, we are not able to sell the full stock of fish at one place and we require more designated places to conduct our business,” said a representative of Zuari Fishermen Marketing Co-operative Society.
Former chairman of Chapora Boat Owner Fisheries Co-Operative Society Balbhim Malvankar said that though the fisheries department has provided the vans to the societies free of cost, he was forced to return the mobile van a year ago, as the expenses he incurred on vehicle maintenance, insurance cost of the vehicle and driver’s and helper’s monthly salaries exceeded the amount earned through the sale of fish.
Joseph Vaz pointed out that operator of a mobile fish van faces trouble when dealing with customers over variations in the fish rates and verbal spats between customers and van staff are often reported.
“We go early to the Margao wholesale market where we buy good quality fish, which is costlier whereas the same fish becomes slightly cheaper if we go a little later. So we face a lot of difficulties. For example, if we buy prawns early in the morning till around 6 am, they are usually costly as the prawns are fresh and by 8 am the rates come down. When people visit our vans, they start complaining that the fish in markets is cheaper compared to what we offer and start arguing and fight unnecessarily,” said Vaz.
According to Edwin Carvalho, secretary of the Vasco Fishing Boat Owners Marketing Co-operative Society, “There are no signs of fish rates decreasing, as most of the catch is exported from the state. Therefore, the fish which is dearer to Goans has become a scarcity and unless and until the exports are regulated, Goans will have to pay a high price.”
A senior official admitted that there have been verbal complaints received by the fisheries department and claimed that the complaints are addressed by the department as and when they emerge. It is learnt that there is a proposal to purchase four additional mobile fish vans so as to reach the uncovered areas. Though the societies currently operating such vehicles are welcoming the government decision to purchase additional vans, they have urged the fisheries department to resolve the existing issues at the earliest.