Sri Lanka fish prices seen falling when weather improves

Dec 27, 2010 (LBO) - Fish prices in Sri Lanka should come down when the weather improves and Catholic fishermen put out to sea with the end of Christmas celebrations, the fisheries minister Rajitha Senaratne said. Increased sales by the state-owned Ceylon Fisheries Corporation had already brought fish prices down by about 22 percent on average compared with December 2009, he told a news conference.

The CFC outlets were selling fish at prices below that of private traders in the market, he said.

Consumers have been complaining of the rising cost of living, driven mainly by higher food prices, especially that of coconut.

CFC deputy chairman D J U Purasinghe said the corporation's daily sales had doubled to 14.

7 tonnes today from 7.8 tonnes in May and the number of sales outlets increased to 71 from 46.

Senaratne said fish was available at CFC outlets at "reasonable" prices and that prices would be brought down further with increased production.

The government plans to increase boat building and fish harvests.

"This is a bad time for fishing," Senaratne said. "The sea is very rough and fewer boats go fishing.

The weather patterns have changed.

"Also, Christian fishermen do not go