Fishermen fleeced by greedy middlemen

Jogipet: Middlemen making money with the needs of fishermen. Fishermen who work for day and night are now in the hands of middlemen because of their financial status. They showed them money in the beginning and now fishermen are paying interests for them.

There are about 2, 400 fishermen families that depend on Singuru project. As per statistics from the Fisheries Department, the fishermen are divided into fulltime and part-time employees. Around 900 families live there and continue fishing, whereas the remaining 1,500 families stay in Hyderabad and continue fishing in rainy seasons after the project is filled.

Workers in hands of middlemen

As per the rules of the Fisheries Department, fishermen can sell the fishes at villages or at near project after fishing is completed. Middlemen, after getting knowledge about the financial status of the fishermen, gave them between Rs 5,000 and 10,000 and made a deal with them. It started that way and now it's over a decade for the culture. The process is yielding great benefits to middlemen and fishermen are getting more depressed financially. The middlemen are buying fish for Rs 70 to 80 per kilo and selling them for Rs 200 to 300 by exporting them to Hyderabad and Sangareddy.

One-ton fish in non season

According to sources, nearly one ton of fishes are exported in non-season also. Fishermen from different villages are catching fish and giving to middlemen. About 50 to 150 kilo of fish is caught in every village. It adds up to nearly two tons of fish from all villages. As per workers, middlemen buy for Rs 70 and sell for Rs 150 to 200. At an average, fishermen are losing 1.40 lakh per trip.

Singuru fish market still a dream

To improve fishermen financially, about 65-lakh fishlings were left in Singuru project at a free of cost, but there is no use, as it is yielding profits to middlemen. Former MLA Babu Mohan promised market in Singuru and Jogipet, but nothing has been done yet. The absence of a market is forcing fishermen approach middlemen. The middlemen are also swindling money by cheating fishermen with loaded weights. Fishermen are being exploited in all possible ways.

"There is no perfect place for us to sell the fish, and it forces us to approach middlemen. Government promised market in Singuru, but nothing has happened, till now. If it is completed, we can earn some money," says Narsimhulu, a fisherman from Peddareddypet.

"There is no use in fishing, as we are giving them to middlemen for half the price. People from neighbouring villages are not buying the fish sold in the evenings. The situation exists because of lack of a market here, says Sivayya, a fisherman from Malapad.

"Fishermen should sell the fish on their own to make progress in lives. We are creating awareness to stop selling fish to middlemen, but there is no use. We have supplied ice boxes, knives, umbrellas to fishermen, and we also left 65 lakh fishlings and prawns for their use," says Layak Mohiduddin, assistant supervisor at Fisheries Department. He further added, "Market yard is allotted in Singuru, and the construction will start soon."