The country's fish markets have witnessed a gradual increase in prices since the middle of last week, peaking on Friday and Saturday due to the unstable weather conditions, most fishing boats stopped going to sea during the past few days and the increase in public demand for fish during the holiday In view of its association with many popular dishes.

Shoppers confirmed the rise in local fish prices by up to twice as much as before the sea disturbance and the start of official holidays, while Emirates Al-Youm reported that the price of one kilogram of gourd was 75 dirhams, 60 dinars and shrimp 30 to 120 dirhams, Kg of Zubaidi 40 dirhams, barley 37 dirhams and mullet 32 ​​dirhams, and Sultan Ibrahim 40 dirhams, and the price of one pill from the mother of shrimp 130 dirhams.

"The prices of local fish are more expensive than imported, because they are fresh and come from the sea to the outlets," fish market vendors Abdel Razek Omran, Mohamed Nouri, Ahmed Saeed and Omar Salem said. "Fish prices in the country are subject to supply and demand in In the first place, if the supply is large, prices are low, while prices rise on days of bad weather, and if both occur simultaneously, the price rise is higher than the usual rates of demand and the corresponding supply shortfall due to A large number of boats stopped fishing in a To the sea ».

The increase in the prices of fish included most varieties, and the increase amounted to about 60% in local varieties, because they are not available at a time when the desired varieties of fish from the market, after the past few days in local fish, and imported fish imported from abroad significantly, But also witnessed a rise in prices by about 30%, expecting that prices will not continue long because of the improved weather conditions, pointing out that the atmosphere is experiencing rapid fluctuations these days, making it difficult for fishermen, and reduce the opportunities for fishing, which is certainly reflected on Prices, as the price of fish takes care D on the supply and demand balance.

They pointed out that the market is witnessing a high demand for imported items in times of lack of supply of local fish and high prices, as many shoppers from the Arab nationalities to buy tilapia and mullet (farms) and shrimp Omani, while the Asian nationalities to tuna and fish Malik, To Salmon, stressing that the demand for imported fish pushed traders to increase prices also.

Fishermen Mohammed Omar, Samir Al Asmar and Naji Ayyad confirmed an attempt to manipulate the markets by reducing supply to increase demand and raise prices.

The increase in local fish prices ranged between five and 30 dirhams per kilogram, depending on the type, quantity, and intensity of demand, and the largest increase was in the share of the Hamur and Alknad fish, according to shoppers in the port market, Salem Ali, and Sa'ud al-Adham, Abu Khaled and Obukker Osman. , And shrimp, where the prices of grouper and large shrimp rose from 40 dirhams per kilogram to 70 dirhams, and the price rose by about 20 dirhams per kilogram, and increased prices of Zubaidi and barley and Sultan Ibrahim from 10 to 15 dirhams per kilogram.

Shoppers, Umm Abdullah, Mohammed Adel and Nora Yamani, in the market, complained that "the price is not overpriced, there is no great diversity in markets, the prevalence of chilled fish and the scarcity of fresh fish." The region, demanding the fishermen's association to search for a solution and set price limits.

Since the beginning of the air unrest last week, the deputy head of the Cooperative Union of Fishery Associations, Sulaiman Al-Khadem, predicted that the prices of local fish have increased by between 30 and 40 percent due to the shortage in quantities offered in the markets. Sea, and traders store some fish in the snow, to take advantage of the high prices.

70% of the fish are imported

The Abu Dhabi Fisheries Authority (EAD) report shows that the UAE currently imports 70% of fishery products, with local fishing contributing 29%, while aquaculture activities contribute only 1%, noting that approximately 5115 citizens and 13,000 And 288 expatriates working in the UAE's commercial fishing sector.

The economic contribution of the fisheries sector is relatively small compared to the total output of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and the country as a whole. However, the cultural importance of fishing for the UAE population is much higher than its contribution to GDP.

30%

Increase in the prices of fish imported from abroad.