Berbice has seen a steep decrease in snapper and trout prices due to the lack of buyers in Georgetown, according to the Chairman of the Corentyne Fisherman’s Co-op.
The chairman, Pameshwar Jainarine yesterday explained that for the past week the prices for the major species such as snapper and trout, which they are dealing with mostly, have seen a decrease.
He said the snapper price went from $400 to $300 per pound while the trout price went from $180 to $140 per pound. The fish glue price has since fallen from $21,000 per pound to $13,000 per pound. He said based on information received the price is likely to drop even more in the coming weeks, which is a major concern from them within the industry.
According to Jainarine, for the last three to four years the fish price had been stable and slowly increasing due to the fact that they had three major exporters purchasing fish from Georgetown. However, for this year they have had only one major exporter purchasing the fish. “The fish is too much, the fish is more being caught than being sold. For example when the exporter export 20 containers per month, 60 containers fish going by he so he get a constant backing up and he reach a stage now that he cannot sell the amount of fish he’s receiving”.
In addition to this, Jainarine said, that there are small buyers in Georgetown but “they don’t buy snapper and trout they handle bangamary, the fish what we don’t target”.
Jainarine pointed out that in terms of the fish glue “Them told us them get problem with the China market because actually all the glue go to China, so we are not making money. We bringing in the amount of fish, the expense remain but the money you making, the take home reduce by half”.
He added, that when heading out to sea fisherfolk would usually take an advance from the co-op as well and now that their take-home earnings have decreased “them barely a left with anything when they done pay everything”.
Contending that they need more exporters and markets to sell the fish, Jainarine said, “We need the price to go up back, we cannot survive on this, we are studying because we cannot cut down our cost anymore”.
He further stated, “The work reach a stage where we going out further and further (to fish) so our main expense is the same or going up, the expense is there”.
He added, that boat owners cannot look to cut corners in terms of the groceries the fisherfolk take to sea, since that would be their only source of food while out at sea.
Meanwhile, according to Jainarine, based on his knowledge the price has dropped throughout the country but “we thought it fit to speak with the media because things like this is happening in the fishing sector and nobody don’t know”.
When asked he said they have contacted the Chief Fisheries Officer in order to make him aware of the situation. He said, they were told once more that the supply is more than the demand presently.
Jainarine also stated, that almost everyone within the fishing industry is worried as to where they are heading.
He also pointed out that the fishing industry is oversaturated in his opinion since persons have left the sugar and rice industry, “After the rice and sugar had problems people invest in fishing so more and more boats coming into the industry. At the sea when we go out there we barely get place to fit our seine. Boats are being built every day and we have the same area to fish, so having a good price for the catch is very important”.
One boat owner, Geeta said, “The decrease affect a lot because the expense remain the same and become bigger and the fish price going down, so when the workers come out to sea and have to take out their expense what remains the workers even na feel please”.
She indicated, that workers have signalled their need to seek another job, “But then the sugar factory closed down and not a lot of place to go look work… People out of job because of the estate so workers can’t go and turn over another job and remember they have a lot of expense, children to go school and they come ask boat owners to lend money and boat owners frighten to lend too because how they will pay back?”
