With the ban on fishing of marine fish species in force, the price of freshwater fish has shot up significantly in the markets across the Krishna district. Drying up of local ponds in the villages in the ongoing summer has come in handy for the freshwater fish sellers to tap the seasonal demand that lasts till May-end.
Of the many varieties of sweet water fish, Katla-Katla, Rohu (Ragandi), Mrugala (Mosu) and Rup Chand are selling like hot cakes in the local markets. Koramenu caught in the river Krishna and its canals has huge demand despite a steep rise in the price, above Rs. 250 a kg.
The price of the fish varieties is ranging from Rs. 150 to Rs. 250 and Rs. 300 per kg and the trend is likely to continue till the arrival of marine fish in the market. Of late, the fine quality of the freshwater fish cultivated extensively in parts of eastern Krishna district is distributed among several domestic markets in India.
“This summer is really a boon for farmers cultivating freshwater fish as the brackish water fish variety, Vennaimi prawn, yield has badly effected,” a Nagayalanka-based Vennaimi farmer Raghu Sekhar told The Hindu .
