Sale of fish has dropped considerably in Rangoon given the soaring prices following the flooding of ponds and rivers in Irrawaddy and Pegu last week.
 
According to wholesalers in Kyimyintdaing and Insein Township , they are unable to sell huge amounts like before because customers are favouring vegetables after fish prices have gone up.
 
The retail rate has also decreased by two- thirds from the previous price in Rangoon after despatch from Irrawaddy and Pegu declined. The Fisheries Department for fish and prawns overflowed in the previous week.
 
The price of Hamilton 's carp fish is about 3,700 Kyat per viss at the retail level and 3,800 to 3,900 Kyat per viss on the wholesale level.
 
A fish wholesaler said "We don't dare to bring large amounts to sell to the market. We are afraid customers will not buy due to the high price".
 
The government has announced that the cost of fish has decreased, but in reality its price in the market is 300 Kyat higher.
 
Due to the flooding, the price has increased. Currently the smallest prawn is 1,000 per viss and mid-sized ones are 8,000 Kyat per viss.
 
Woman residents in Pegu Town said, "Fish in the lakes were affected due to floods during heavy rains.”
 
After the price rise of fish people are increasingly buying vegetables and only buy small amounts of fish and prawn.
 
The Burmese regime tried to produce fish by allowing pisciculture in paddy fields and small lakes in Pegu Division and Mon State . It tried it on about 400 acres of paddy fields in Pegu and about 100 acres in southern Mon State , according to The New Light of Myanmar.