The Chairlady of Tambakula Wharf in Aberdeen, Fatmata Kamara, has told Premier New on Tuesday June 16, 2020, that the prices of fish have risen because of a fall in the supply of the commodity since the outbreak of the coronavirus in Sierra Leone.
The Chairlady, also a fish monger, further said that government restrictions have reduced the number of fishing boat currently operating from the wharf.
She also noted that the reduction in the number of fishing boats currently operating and other natural underlying factors fishermen were encountering have caused a fall in the catch, thereby causing scarcity which had resulted to a hike in fish prices.
Kamara added that the closure of hotels and restaurants as preventive measures have also caused sales to drop. She also claimed that the current situation, in the midst of Coronavirus, is the worse they in the fish trade have encountered.
“The economic impact of COVID-19 on citizens has caused decrease on the demand of fish, thereby causing us low sales and meager earnings,” She said.
Khadija Conteh, a fish monger trading in fresh fish at Congo Market, said that before the outbreak of the Coronavirus they used to purchase a crate of ‘Shine Nose’ fish at Le160,000 and ‘Snapper’ at Le 530,000, but the prices have increased to Le 220, 000 and Le 680, 000, respectively, noting that fish is sometimes not available at the wharfs for sale.
“The increase in the prices of fish have caused us to double our prices in the market which sometimes made sales difficult. Because of the low demand for fish, we are forced to dry them in order to preserve them from going bad,” she said.
The prices of fish in the market are increasing by the day which makes it unaffordable for ordinary Sierra Leoneans.
Fish provides 70 percent of the nation’s protein. About 50 percent of Sierra Leoneans who live below the poverty line rely on fish for protein.
By George M.O. Williams
17/6/2020. ISSUE NO.: 7847