The Hindu Business Line : Poor catch, low prices taking toll on AP fishermen

FISHERMEN here are finding the going difficult as the first voyage undertaken this month, after a lay-off period of 45 days during the summer to facilitate replenishment of fish stocks, has resulted in poor catches. The prices too have been y discouraging and, to make matters worse, the State Government has not yet released the diesel subsidy.

Three hundred mechanised boats or so, which started out on the voyage on June 1, returned this week with poor catches. "The boat operators in all might have spent Rs 4.5 crore or so on the voyage. The catch is so poor and the prices so low that even the costs may not be recovered,'' complains Mr Ch. Satyanarayana Murthy, General Secretary of the Dolhpin Boat Operators' Association. The estimated loss is Rs 60 lakh or so for all the boats.

``We expect the State Government to come to our rescue in this critical situation, but even the diesel subsidy of Rs 3 crore has not yet been released,'' says Mr B. Neelakantham, General Secretary of the AP Mechanised Fishing Boat Operators' Association.

The State Government gives subsidy of Rs 4 per litre and the Centre Rs 1.50 per litre, subject to a ceiling of 3,000 litres for each boat-owner.

The associations have appealed to the State Government to release the subsidy amount immediately.

Article E-Mail :: Comment :: Syndication :: Printer Friendly Page

Stories in this Section
Poor catch, low prices taking toll on AP fishermen

Is India inching towards a hunger trap?

Kribhco plans to sell Omani granulated urea

Rubber market stays neutral

Uniform commodity classification by Sept in Kerala

Pak keen to tap India's tea expertise

Coonoor tea prices hit new lows

Bid to boost exports to W.Asia — Spices Board to market value-added cardamom