Escalating fuel prices have resulted in coastal villagers digging deeper into their pockets for fishing trips.
Speaking to this newspaper yesterday, Natutu villager Nacanieli Nasau said for one fishing trip it now costs $330 to fill five gallons of 20 litre fuel.
“We are really facing hardships due to the hike in fuel prices,” he said.
“And it goes together with the changes in the weather that we are facing as we are hardly catchy any fish.
“The new price for petroleum does not go hand in hand with the number of fish we are able to sell.
“From a 20-litre gallon we would be paying $40, now it’s $66 for the gallons of fuel to be full.
“For one fishing trip we would take five gallons, and it costs us $330 in total.”
Mr Nasau said he sells fish at the Ba Municipal Market from Monday to Saturday.
“The price of fuel will also affect our sales as customers will feel the hike in the prices of fish being increased.
“My humble request to the government is that the fuel price increase does not go hand in hand with the cost of living. Now we will also have to increase the price of our fish.
“Customers will complain because of the fish prices some will not be able to afford them, but we can’t do much because we also need to survive.”
