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Nationals, expats throng market for a bargain

ABU DHABI — Good weather conditions over the past couple of days have resulted in reduced prices of fish in Abu Dhabi giving consumers a chance to relish it gladly.

Expatriates and nationals throng the Mina Fish Market everyday to purchase fish as they get fresh fish and a choice of bargain.

This reporter interacted with several fish lovers who visited the Mina Fish Market on Sunday.

According to the fishermen, there is no shortage of fish in the market and the prices of fish are also good as they are catching a sufficient amount of fish from the UAE waters everyday. Fish consignments also come from Oman.

A variety of fish which is mostly preferred by the expatriates and nationals are hammour, sherry, kingfish, safi, sultan, jesh, biah, tuna, shrimps and sharks. All these fish are available now in the market.

“The prices of fish have gone down this month after rising in February as the sea water turned rough due to fierce winds and resulted in fish shortage. Hammour, which was priced at Dh30-35 per kilogramme last month is now being sold for Dh20-22 per kg,” said Kooni Mohammed Faleeri, shopkeeper at Mina Fish Market.

Faleeri added, “We sold sherry last month at Dh18 a kg but now it is priced at Dh13 a kg, while kingfish was at Dh30 a kg but now it is sold for Dh20 a kg and the shrimps are now priced at Dh25 per kg, down from February’s price of Dh35 a kg for small size.”

Another fisherman at Mina Fish Market, Haider Ali said, “When the price of fish is high our sale and margin of profit goes down. But this month, it is all right.”

Ali said, “This month fish prices are reasonable and we are saving a little. Safi which was at Dh25 a kg, is now being sold at Dh15 a kg for a medium size, while the price of sultan fish has come down from Dh28 last month to Dh20 a kg.”

A consumer, Ameen Sadique from Sudan, said, “We are having good fish these days and the prices also are reasonable. So, we are enjoying it.”

Another consumer Mohammed Sulaiman from Egypt, said, “Prices of some fish are a little bit high but the overall price is good. But it was high in the last month.”

Raufi Ahmed K. from India, said, “Every alternate day, I take fish from here. I get fresh fish and good price as compared to supermarkets where prices are high and fish are frozen. I don’t like the frozen fish.”

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