Strong winds raise fish prices

BANDUNG, West Java: The effects of strong western winds which have caused havoc on fishing in some northern coastal areas in Central Java is being felt all the way to Bandung.

The price of fish has skyrocketed in the West Java capital.

The increase has been plainly evident in Caringin market, the biggest vegetable and fish distributor in Bandung, during the past three weeks.

The increases range from Rp 6,000 (US$0.6) to Rp 20,000 ($2.1).

A fish seller in Caringin named Rohadi, 57, said that the price hike is due to a decrease in the supply of sea fish from fish distributors in Brebes, Central Java as fishermen are currently afraid to fish.

Usually, Rohadi said, sellers in Caringin receive 1,000 trucks of fish a day with one ton of fish per truck.

"But recently, it's been only 200 trucks per day," he said, adding that stalls in the market selling fish have also dropped to 70 stalls from the usual 100 stalls.

To meet consumers demand, he said, sellers have increased the supply of freshwater fish. (25)