Fishing sector caught between lockdown and unkind govts

Express News Service
KOCHI: “This is the worst misfortune we ever encountered. It could be very troublesome to claw again to regular life. We will not be pondering of suicide as it’s towards our faith,” stated Mohammed Haneefa Haji, a fishing boat proprietor at Beypore, holding a bunch of attachment notices served by banks.

“I have six fishing boats and three of them are financed by banks. Everything went normal till the announcement of lockdown in March 2020. If one boat doesn’t get enough fish another will compensate and I could repay the loan EMI on time. However, we are not able to operate for the past 15 months and there is no income. The authorities talk about a moratorium but the banks don’t bother. I hadpledged my house as surety for the loan and the banks may attach it any time,” stated Haneefa Haji in a damaged voice.

This is just not a one-off incident. The disaster triggered by lockdown has turned catastrophic for the fishing sector. Around 95 per cent of the mechanised fishing boat homeowners, conventional fishermen, distributors, fish processing unit homeowners and exporters are dealing with an unprecedented disaster.

“The price of diesel has touched Rs 93 per litre. For a week-long fishing expedition, we need diesel worth Rs 5 lakh. The wages, daily bata, ice blocks and food supplies are other expenses. The repair and maintenance of boats and fishing gear are additional expenses. We should get a catch worth Rs 8 lakh to get some returns, which is only a dream nowadays. Last year we operated boats for justsixty days and this year there is no improvement,” stated Munambam – Vypin Fishing Sector Protection Committee chairman P P Gireesh.

The fishing boat operators affiliation has approached the Union Fishing Ministry demanding to incorporate diesel beneath the GST regime.

“The biggest challenge is the rising price of diesel now. Besides the anti-fishermen attitude of the Kerala government has added to the crisis. While the annual license fee in neighbouring states like Karnataka and Tamil Nadu is only Rs 3,500, it is Rs 52,000 in Kerala. Besides, the fisheries authorities impose a hefty fine in the name of juvenile fishing. If the situation continues the fishing industry may migrate to other states,” stated Gireesh.

Loan sharks prey on conventional fishermen

The state of affairs is much more pathetic within the conventional fishing sector, which is the livelihood of 10 lakh individuals. “We had availed a Rs 6 lakh financial institution mortgage to buy a motorised nation craft price Rs 12 lakh. We will not be in a position to enterprise into the ocean because of the lockdown restrictions. The financial institution could connect out property any time,” stated Shaji, a fisherman at Arthungal in Alappuzha.

The fishermen had repaired their boats forward of monsoon fishing season, however the harbours are declared containment zones and they aren’t in a position to enterprise into the ocean. “The fishermen in Arthungal have to go to Vypin in Ernakulam district to launch their boats as there is no harbour in Alappuzha district. They hire trucks to take the craft to Vypin, but the police stop them and slap hefty fine inthe name of lockdown. The government has provided kits, but is it enough to survive? We need money to meet our medical expenses,” stated Swatantra Matsya Thozhilali Federation Alappuzha district president Raju Asrayam.

The largest menace within the coastal hamlets is the exploitation by mortgage sharks. Most of the fishermen have taken loans from auctioneers who take away a portion of the every day catch and acquire exorbitant charges of curiosity. As the catch and costs fluctuate, the fishermen are pressured to rely upon personal cash lenders.

“The fishermen in Alappuzha got a good catch of shrimps on Monday. However, the prices plunge from Rs 250 per kg to Rs 110 per kg. There is no demand for fish due to the lockdown. We have urged the government to provide some monetary support through the Fishermen Welfare Board,” stated Swatantra Matsya Thozhilali Federation state president Jackson Pollayil.

Export sector in shambles

The fish processing and export sector have incurred enormous loss because of the world lockdown that has disrupted provide chains. Many fish processing items in Kochi are on the verge of shutdown unable to bear the mounting losses. “There is a steep decline in the availability of fish as almost all the harbours are closed. The peeling units have been shut and the processing units are forced to store raw fish. The hopes of revival have suffered a blow as many of the buyers are bankrupt and have shut down their units. We have to find new buyers to restore business after the lockdown,” stated Seafood Exporters Association of India Kerala area president Alex Ok Ninan.

The exports have been affected by the steep rise in freight expenses, which went as much as Rs 7.5 lakh per container from Rs 2.5 lakh in November 2020. As the export turnover has come down, the banks are refusing to resume credit score amenities to the items. The banks have began threatening to declare the mortgage accounts of exporters as nonperforming property (NPA). “We have approached the Union Commerce ministry seeking to declare a moratorium on loans. Many processing and export units have incurred huge losses and are struggling to survive,” he stated.