Myanmar fishermen sell catch in Thailand due to poor domestic market
While it is poor market for fish locally, it is a buyer's choice market in neighbouring Thailand, and the fishermen from Myanmar face difficulties every year because of this, those related to the water industry said.
The fishing season has arrived in the sea of Myanmar, but the price of the fish in the local market is low.
Due to the high cost of output, entrepreneurs are facing difficulties. And, because the fish market is a "buyer's choice" and there is no choice, so the fishing boats and fish carrying boats in the nation are facing difficulties almost every year.
"Thailand is a buyer's market. I have to say that the legal regulations are lax, and Thailand is aware of this situation.
"If it's true that we are good neighbours, looking at the fact that we have been taking advantage of Myanmar's waters for a long time, we have to do it fairly.
"If in the past, 1kg of A Grade shrimp was 30 Burmese dollars, now the price is not raised, and it has been lowered again.
"Therefore, the Thai side will benefit more, while our country's fish business owners will benefit less," said Daw Htay Htay Win, managing director of the Myanmar International Fish Auction.
Although there is an international-level fish auction market in Myeik, within Tanintharyi Region, the fish market has been under the control of Thailand because it has been ignored in the past.
"We go out to sea now in the fishing season; If you fish for 10 days, you can only get 30 or 40 boxes of wala pipe, and you can get 2000 baht per box (more than 200,000 Burmese dollars).
"The permission to catch fish is 60 days, so we need 240 buckets.
"I can't even get 500,000,000 for selling fish. The output cost of a boat is 100,000,000.
"I know that if I sell each type of fish separately, I can get more money. But there is no fish market to sell on the bridge.
"The fish market is only in Thailand. I have to sell it at the price I got.
"If you bring it back because it is not worth the price, the cost of the boat, labor costs will be spent, and where will we sell?
"The current situation is that the boat that gets the capital is unusual, and losing is normal.
"Why are they doing it? Fishermen will be unemployed. If the fishing boats are left like this, they will rot.
"Sometimes I will say that I am doing it with the hope of making a profit," said a fishing boat entrepreneur from Myeik.
Shrimps obtained from fishing boats are transported to Thailand by fish carriers (white line).
It is said that it has been going to Ranong for sale and it has been a big fish market in Thailand for three decades.
"At this time, it is important not to leave the foreign investments that are in our country.
"As for us, no matter what difficulties happened, we did not leave at all. I consistently presented it to adults over the ages.
"However, they ignored it, so the market for fish caught in their own waters is not in their own country, but they are in another country.
"If the entrepreneurs here really want they should unite and develop a fish market," said Daw Htay Htay Win. -
Eleven Media
Asia News Network
