PONDA
Fish sales were severely affected at the Ponda fish market on Thursday, due to acute fish shortage following a raid by the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) at the wholesale fish market in Margao.
The FDA had raided vehicles laden with fish and had taken samples to check whether the fish had been contaminated with formalin.
The Ponda fish market, which does a business of about Rs 6-7 lakh each day and is usually crowded with buyers and sellers, was virtually deserted on Thursday, with only six fish vendors selling fish at the market.
Many people visiting the fish market had to return home empty handed after being informed about the FDA raid in Margao and unavailability of fish in Ponda.
Besides Ponda, Banastarim, Marcela, Usgao and other areas in Ponda taluka are also dependent on the wholesale fish market at Margao.
“We could not get fish today due to action by FDA at the wholesale market in Margao. We had some fish from yesterday which was sold today,” a fish vendor, Sameer Sheikh, told The Goan.
“Fish vendors in Ponda are fully dependent on the wholesale fish market in Margao and if there is no supply from this centre in South Goa, we have no option to get fish.”
“There are some traditional local fishermen in villages but they sell their fish there itself,” he said.
Another woman fish vendor said they were forced to return empty handed from Margao, as the FDA had directed the wholesalers not to sell the fish.
“The FDA team had gone to the wholesale market at Margao in the wee hours of Thursday and immediately began taking action. Hence, we could not buy fish from the wholesale market,” she said.
