The Kerala State Cooperative Federation for Fisheries Development (Matsyafed) opened its first air-conditioned modern fish mart at Arayidathupalam in the city on Monday.
Minister for Panchayats and Social justice M.K. Muneer inaugurated the mart, which was set up at a cost of Rs.7 lakh.
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Matsyafed officials said the mart would supply all the quality fish varieties at an affordable rate to the buyers. A 10 to 15 per cent discount from the market price will be available for all purchase, they added.
Unlike the conventional fish market, the Matsyafed mart will bring in a new culture of trading fish in a highly hygienic and clean ambience. The customers will be able to enjoy the ease of purchasing from a quality super market with professional standards in billing and other customer services.
At the mart, Matsyafed will ensure the service of five persons to cater to the customers. The staff members have been selected from various fishermen families in the district. On the basis of the total turnover, they will be paid every month.
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Till the completion of a fisheries base station at Puthiyappa, the fish mart will depend upon various local fish suppliers to get the regular stock.
T.V. Ramesan, Manager of Matsyafed in the district, said the second and third fish marts under the scheme would respectively come up at Feroke and Thiruvannur in three months.
“The work of the building at Feroke is almost over and we are in the process of finalising the employees. Eranhipalam and Link Road are the other two locations under consideration to open two more such marts,” he added.
In the 2013-2014 fiscal, the State government had allotted Rs.1 crore to the Matsyafed for opening maximum number of modern fish marts to set a new culture in the retail trade of fresh fish varieties.
This was mainly to help small scale buyers who were not able to participate in the bulk auctioning process in various harbours.