Bounty of skipjack tuna at Kasimedu, but fishers gutted on price by middlemen

Chennai: Deep-sea fishing boat owners in Kasimedu harbour are faced with a crisis in spite of a bumper catch of export-quality skipjack tuna this season. The reason — price-fixing by middlemen, which has resulted in their profits being squeezed.Around 100 tonnes of the fish have been landing every day at the harbour for the past 10 days, according to B Muthukumaran, secretary of the deep-sea fishing boat owners association. "Skipjack is the smallest and most abundant tuna variety, ideal for exports," he said. But, boat owners are struggling to secure fair prices amid high operational costs and hard labour.
V Balaji, another boat owner, accused a group of local fishermen, in collusion with an exporter, of manipulating prices. "This cartel controls the market, leaving deep-sea fishermen unable to earn despite the risks we face at sea," Balaji alleged. Currently, skipjack fetches just 70 per kg at Kasimedu, far below what owners say is viable.The fish holds little domestic demand in TN, where it is not consumed. Neighbouring Kerala offers few buyers and low rates, forcing reliance on exports to foreign markets. Muthukumaran urged state intervention, pointing to Kerala's model where a govt society procures the entire export-quality catch, processes it, and handles exports."This eliminates middlemen and cartels, ensuring fishermen get fair shares," he explained. He proposed raising the price to 100 per kg, which could provide relief. Raghu Segar, another owner, highlighted the irony. Low-priced raw skipjack, when canned and processed, sells in supermarkets for up to 1,000 a kg as premium imported protein favoured by fitness enthusiasts. "We bear the costs, but processors and exporters reap profits," Segar lamented.The seasonal abundance is short-lived, offering a narrow window for revenue. Boat owners, already reeling from financial strains, called for urgent action from the fisheries dept and state govt.

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