The wholesale fish market continues to remain sluggish, but yawning price gap with the retail market is pushing up the microeconomic indicators for food in the city. The wholesale traders feel that keeping the retail market high is actually bringing down cumulative consumption and affecting the wholesale market eventually. They feel even though prices remain low at wholesale markets, the consumers are not getting the price benefit. “Gap between retail and wholesale prices is increasing, especially with the marriage season around. It is difficult to understand the logic behind such astronomical prices at some of the retail markets,” said Debashis Jana, secretary of Patipukur Fish Merchants’ Association. For a retailer at Manicktala, who procures fish from Sealdah wholesale market, the transportation cost is Rs 3-3.5 per kg. Add to that Rs 7-10 more towards ice for preservation, rent towards electricity and staff cost. It rounds up to Rs 14 per kilo on wholesale price. Retailers also need to keep wastage in mind while calculating the cost. Usually , retailers add Rs 20-25 more as profit on that. “But at some retail markets, retailers add Rs 50 or more on the cost. This pushes up the price further,” said Bablu Das, assistant secretary of the Manicktala Market Byabsayee Samiti. Ranjit Mandal, a retailer at Gariahat, said at times prices also vary, depending on where the retailer is procuring the fish from. “If a retailer is buying from Howrah wholesale market, the transportation cost will be lower than that incurred when the fish is procured from Canning. Buyers also understand the difference in quality and are ready to pay a premium,” Mandal said. Syed Anwar Maqsood, secretary of the Howrah Wholesale Fish Market, felt the difference had been there always as the retailer had to factor in other costs towards transportation and preservation of the fish. “Though the difference is large, that does not mean that a retailer is getting the entire amount as profit,” he said. “The gap between wholesale and retail price can only be reduced if government intervenes. The state can introduce more fish vending mobile vans. That way they can impact prices at local markets,” Das said.
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