THE price of fish surged dramatically over the Easter weekend in Auki, Malaita province.
This left many families especially those from surrounding villages struggling to afford their traditional Easter meals – fish and pudding.
The Solomon Star had observed that starting on Thursday leading up to Easter weekend, fish prices began to spike, catching many consumers off guard.
Low income villagers were forced to dig deep into their pockets just to buy a single fish to celebrate the spiritual occasions.
The sudden price increases sparked frustration and disappointment amongst Christian families who had hoped to observe the holy week with customary fish dishes – fish and pudding.
By Saturday, prices had soared even higher, pushing many families out of the market entirely.
A villager and farmer in West Kwara’ae, Conlly Laungiau said the selling price for fish at Auki market during Easter session always increase compared to normal days.
“It’s normal for prices to go up during Easter,” Laungiau said.
“The fishermen always take advantage of the high demand during this season.
“ For those of us who want to buy fish to bake with cassava pudding, it becomes too expensive,” he said.
“This always causes frustration, especially during the holy week,” he added.
While many blame the fishermen for taking advantage of the situation, one local fisherman, who asked to remain anonymous, offered a different perspective.
He explained that several factors contribute to the rising costs, including the high price of fuel and engine maintenance.
“Most people think we overcharge them,” the fisherman said.
“But what they don’t realize is the cost of fuel and engine parts are very high.
“Sometimes we even operate at a loss. We want to serve the community with fresh fish every day, but we face our own challenges too,” the fisherman said.
He also appealed to customers and local communities to continue supporting the fishermen, highlighting the importance of collaboration in ensuring a steady supply of fresh fish in Auki.
By SOLOMON LOFANA
Solomon star, Auki
