The open-air fish hawkers market on Marina Loop Road is indeed a buzzing space and gives the impression that the hawkers, all women are making a decent pile of money. They do, on the good days. But there are times when days are bad.
The lockdown regulations are hitting them.
“Today being Friday, lots of people don’t buy and cook fish so sales were low and now, the weekend shutdown will badly affect us,” says a hawker of Doomingkuppam.
The market will now have to remain closed on Saturday and Sunday. The days when business tops. And currently, due to the fishing ban in vogue and limited fish movement from whole sale markets sales are limited.
Hawkers say that in ordinary time if they buy fish worth Rs.2000 in local auctions, they can sell it for Rs.3500 and make about Rs.1000 a day.
“But now, we have to store the limited fish and poor sales stocks and spend some Rs.500 on ice for freezers. Where is the money for us?”, asks a hawker from Nochikuppam.
- Report by Kavitha Benni
