Fani impact: Sharp price hike keeps fish away from plates in West Bengal

Cyclone Fani has left a major impact on a Bengali platter as prices of essential commodities, especially fishes have skyrocketed in the kitchen markets.

Reportedly, around 50 trucks with fish come from Andhra Pradesh to the Howrah fish market daily and around 40 come from Odisha which were reduced due to Cyclone Fani as the fishermen were warned not to venture into the sea.

As Kolkata stared at an supply crunch of the favourite varieties, the number of retailers who sell fish at the door steps have also decreased.

Price of fish like Pabha which was earlier selling at Rs 400/kg is now costing Rs 600-700, Pomfret- earlier price at Rs 350, now at Rs 450, Katla fish from Rs 350 to Rs 550, Rohu at Rs 270 from Rs 180, Tiger Prawns at Rs 500 which was earlier Rs 350 per kilo.

Thankfully, the vegetable prices has not been that steep comparatively to the dear fish.

Cyclone Fani, one of the strongest storms to batter the Indian subcontinent in decades, uprooted trees and triggered rains as it entered West Bengal post midnight on Saturday, hours after making landfall and causing havoc in Odisha on Friday.