With fuel prices increasing almost daily and crossing Rs 100 in many cities, the fishing industry in Goa has been hit hard. The stakeholders are seeking relief from both the state and central governments to keep the business running. Speaking to UNI, Goa Purse Seine Boat Owners Association’s Harshad Dhond said that the hike in fuel prices and other costs have forced 42-45 per cent of the boats to cease operations. If the situation does not improve, more boats may face the same fate, he warned. “There is a lot of pressure due to diesel prices… The All India Fishermen Forum has met Union Minister for Fisheries Parshottam Rupala. They also met Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri and told them that we are unable to run our business due to inflation.” He said the rising fuel prices came at a time when the industry was trying to come out of the losses incurred due to two years of Covid-induced pandemic. ”Due to the pandemic, exports are down and so is the purchasing capacity of the common man. We have been hit both ways. Supply and demand both have been hit. We request the government to do something, otherwise the sector will go to hell.
“The high fuel prices are having an impact on fish prices. Our cost has increased no bounds. I request the state as well as the central governments to do something immediately before its too late. Otherwise it will become economically unviable to run boats.” He pointed out that VAT reimbursement was pending for the last two years. ”We got the reimbursement two years back and since then we have been waiting for it,” he said. The President of the Goa Fishing Boat Owners Association, Jose Philip D’Souza, said: “It’s a big burden on the people of Goa… The government can at least waive off VAT on petrol and diesel. “In the fishing industry, we need at least 1,500 litres of diesel. How we are going to survive?” National Fishworkers Forum General Secretary Olencio Simoes said the fishermen have stopped purchasing petrol or diesel in bulk as there is an increase of Rs 23 on bulk purchase. ‘
‘We are purchasing fuel in retail but that is also creating trouble as it requires additional travel costs. We are facing a huge problem,” he said. Simoes, however, said that Union Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri has promised to look into their demand to remove excise duty and Value Added Tax (VAT) on fuel used in the fishing industry. He said in Gujarat and Maharashtra too the price rise has severely affected the industry. ”The voyage cost is increasing drastically. We hope the Ministry will take action and the prices will come down. Otherwise, we will have to stage demonstrations. If this continues, then there will be a huge drop in export revenue,” he said. He said small fishermen were spending Rs 5,000 per trip but were unable to recover even the cost.