Sardine prices crash to ₹10 per kilo in Kerala; Fishermen feel the pinch

Kollam: It’s peak fishing season along Kerala’s coastline, with harbours bustling with boats hauling in an abundance of catch. Yet, despite their boats brimming with fish, the pockets of those who depend on the sea remain heartbreakingly empty.

At Neendakara harbour, sardines (mathi) have recently been sold for as little as ₹10 to ₹15 per kilo. Similar scenes are playing out in other fishing hubs like Perumathura in Thiruvananthapuram, where every boat is hauling in generous catches of karichal (Indian mackerel).

Even when a boat lands around 5,000 kilos of sardines, the entire catch earns no more than ₹50,000 to ₹75,000 — a figure that, when divided among the crew, amounts to very little compared to the backbreaking labour involved.

Kanni month (the Malayalam calendar’s first month) is usually a time of abundant fishing, with the sea and weather offering ideal conditions. Fish like sardines, anchovies and mackerel are found in plenty. However, prices stay very low during this time. In just two weeks, those same fish could be worth 10 times more — but by then, availability will have dropped hugely.

As a result, whether the sea gives more or prices go higher, the reality is the same — it hardly benefits the fishermen.

Anandan, who has been fishing out of Neendakara for over 50 years, says it is impossible to predict the sea’s behaviour in the days ahead. The current bounty may not last. He and fellow fishermen stress the urgent need for cold storage and preservation facilities at the harbours. This, they believe, could help reduce the uncertainty of prices and availability by allowing excess catch to be stored without spoilage.

In the past, seasonal overfishing often meant that large quantities of fish had to be thrown back into the sea. Now, however, with fishmeal factories taking in almost every variety, such wastage is less frequent.