Call for feedback to address rising prices of fish
KUALA LUMPUR: Prices of ikan rakyat (consumable fish) will continue to rise unless measures are taken to address the issue, said Marine Fish Farmers Association Malaysia deputy president Mohamed Razali Mohamed.
“The Council of Eminent Persons (CEP) is very concerned about rising prices of fish and seafood in general.
“They want feedback from industry players on measures to lessen the burden of the people,” he told reporters after meeting the CEP at Ilham Tower yesterday.
Mohamed Razali said the problem of rising fish prices was a regional issue driven by supply and demand.
Among the common species of ikan rakyat, he said, were selar (yellowstripe scad), kembung (mackerel) and cencaru (torpedo scad).
“Another factor is that Malaysians are ranked fourth in the world for fish consumption per income capita.
“For example, the United States and Europe consume about 20kg of fish per income capita compared to 57kg by Malaysians.
“It is a healthy habit but still a problem,” he said.
He cited prices of mackerel, which had gone up from RM5 per kilo 10 years ago to more than RM12 per kilo now due to a shortage of supply.
Mohamed Razali suggested that more ikan rakyat should be imported from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh to meet demand.
He added that more investment was also needed to increase fish farming and deepsea fishing ventures.