(MENAFN- Arab Times) The 'Let Them Spoil' campaign to boycott fish continues to hit the fish market, forcing fish traders who had earlier increased prices to reduce the prices of fish. Last week, the prices of fish dropped remarkably.
This week, the fish market experienced a noticeable turnout coinciding with the decline in the price of shrimps due to abundant supply. The current price of a kilo of shrimp is KD 3. Saturday, the price of Zubaidi ranged from KD 8 to KD 9 per kilo, while the price of Sha'oom dropped from KD 4 to KD 3.5 per kilo, Al- Balool cost KD 5 per kilo, KD 3 for Al-Nuweibi, KD6 for Al-Sheem due to shortage of supply, and KD 3 for Norwegian salmon instead of KD 4.5.
Meanwhile, the extreme price hikes in the country has hit the poultry sector and a kilogram of live chicken costs KD 0.800 from KD 0.450 and a crate of egg once sold for KD 0.750 is currently KD 1.250, reports Al- Seyassah daily.
The hike came in shortly after a sudden skyrocketing price of fish to the extent that some fish were sold for KD 15 per kilogram and a box of cucumber that used to cost KD 0.100 rose to KD 1.500. Several consumers who went to buy chicken in Shuwaikh were shocked to learn about the crazy hike, especially as they regard it as a major food item difficult for every household to ignore.
Kuwaiti consumer Sherif Obaid expressed surprise that the price of chicken has raised so high. He blamed officials of the Ministry of Commerce and industry for failure to act in a manner that can curb the hike.
He stressed that many poor and low income earning families will find it difficult to meet up with the current prices of several food items, especially chicken. He observed that the officials might be using the ploy to force people to buy frozen chicken. Another compatriot Mohsen Abdullah affirmed that all families find it difficult to do away with live or frozen chicken, declaring that his family always goes for live chicken.
He said the chicken is butchered in the presence of consumers in the Islamic way, which is different from frozen chicken whose method of butchery and mode of transportation from Europe nobody really knows. He expressed fear that the price could rise further if care is not taken. He indicated that concerned officials do not monitor poultry sellers to control the price. In his comment, a Kuwaiti man Ahmad Al-Abdullah declared that he buys an average of 10-12 pieces of live chicken regularly due to the large family he keeps. He urged concerned officials to act appropriately on time, because chicken is a major food that cannot be avoided.
He stressed the need to vary daily types of meals among chicken meat and fish, thus people must buy no matter the price. He implored traders and owners of companies that deal in the business to be humane and considerate to give people the opportunity to buy without discomfort. In other news, Deputy Director of Fish Resource Sector at the Public Authority for Agricultural Affairs and Fish Resources (PAAAFR) Engineer Faisal Al-Hasawi disclosed the intention to issue a decision next week to allow shrimp fishing in the territorial waters, and also release 90 boats after relevant legal procedures and fines imposed on their owners have been settled, reports Al-Rai daily. Al-Hasawi indicated another decision will be issued to allow fishing of 'Meed' after a meeting of the technical committee to study the possibility of introducing the commodity to the market again, following the previous decision to ban its fishing after a large quantity of the species was found on Kuwaiti beaches. He refuted the decision to seize boats that violate regulations is reason behind the hike in fish prices witnessed lately. Meanwhile, inspectors from the Municipality shut several stalls in the fish market and imposed fines on their owners for offering expired fish unsuitable for human consumption for sale.
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