Half the boats docked

Earnings in Koliwada hit due to 'note craze'

Mumbai, 12th: Half of the boats in Mumbai's Koliwadas have been affected by the 'note craze' caused by the demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes. As there is no spare money for diesel, boats cannot be taken to sea for fishing. Even if the fishermen collect spare money and buy diesel, customers do not have money to buy fish. Fishermen are facing this difficult situation.

Fish yield in Worli Koliwada has decreased by 50% in two days. There is a similar scene in other Koliwadas too.

500 liters of diesel per day is supplied to the boats from the Worli Koliwada Nakhwa Fisheries Cooperative Society. Because the notes have been cancelled, consumption of diesel has come down to just 150 liters, informed Harishchandra Nakhwa, president of the society. Because Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes have been scrapped, the fishermen were given diesel on credit on the first day. It is not possible to do that every day. Because of this, half the boats have been docked.

Earlier, fish worth three to four lakhs was sold daily from Worli Koliwada. Now this turnover has gone down to two lakhs. Umesh Kothekar, who sells 10kg of fish a day in this Koliwada, sold only 3kg of fish during the day on Saturday (12th), that too on credit. He said that the business has been running on credit for two days.

The situation in the Mumbai fishmarkets is similar to that of Koliwadas, where customers are turning away.A fish seller in Ghatkopar said that fish worth Rs 2,300 was given on loan during the day. Devanand Worlikar, a fishmonger in Worli, said that the number of customers in the market has come down to half. Purchased stock can be kept on ice for a maximum of two days. Therefore, many traders said that they are offering loans to known customers.

(Praveen Kajrolkar : Sakal Image Bureau)

* Two days ago, a customer was given a loan of 100 rupees as he did not have spare money. He hasn't returned it yet. How to sell fish in such a situation?- Jitendra Worlikar, Fishmonger, Worli

There has been a 50 percent decline in fish sales in the market. Sellers also do not go to the market because the rates are low. Therefore fish prices have also come down by 50 percent. This effect is being felt in the local fish markets. Fish exporters have not been affected. - Damodar Tandel, the leader of the fishermen

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