Parliament accepts motion claiming fisheries companies discriminate prices in different parts of the country

Parliament has received an extraordinary motion claiming that government owned fisheries companies discriminate prices in different parts of the country.

Submitted to the parliament today by Dhuvaafaru MP Mohamed Zubair, the motion stated that there the is a difference in prices offered from Felivaru port and by vessels operating in other parts of the country.

MP Mohamed Zubair said that Felivaru purchases non-iced fish for MVR 18 per kg and iced fish for MVR 20 per kg, and that the collecting vessels in Laamu atoll had bought non-iced fish for MVR 20 per kg and iced fish for MVR 21.50 per kg on the 18th of this month.

“As it has been noticed that there is a vast difference in the prices of purchase of fish in different parts of the country, which has caused a discrimination on the parties weighing their fish from the Felivaru port, (I ask) that this matter be looked into as an extraordinary matter, and submit this extraordinary motion to bring the matter to the attention of the parliament, asking that (fisherman selling fish in) other parts of the country are subjected to the same prices,” he said.

All the members who debated on the issue agreed that there was a discrepancy in purchase prices of fish in different atolls of the country and that it is matter that has to be rectified. They also said that the basic purchasing prices of fish are low and that fisherman should get acceptable value for their catch.

While all members have come to a consensus that government companies should be consistent in their fish purchasing prices, some of the members stressed that the problem should be solved by the parliament.