Fish being dumped amid ice shortfall blamed on electricity woes in Ramree Twsp

By DMG 02 Apr 2022

DMG Newsroom
2 April 2022, Ramree

Fish are being dumped as there is not enough ice from ice suppliers due to frequent power outages in Arakan State’s Ramree Township.

Ko Tun Naing, a social worker in Ramree Township, told DMG that residents found a large number of dead fish floating in a local creek on Wednesday.

“We saw dead fish floating in the creek on March 30. When we investigated, we found out that fish wholesalers were throwing away the fish because they could not buy enough ice from ice suppliers,” he said.

As previously reported by DMG, ice suppliers have faced a particular challenge to their business model amid the frequent, prolonged power outages that have plagued Arakan State for months. In Ramree Townships, there is a regular power outage for at least four hours a day, and local ice manufacturers are facing financial losses.

There are three ice factories in Ramree Township, which are relied upon by the local fishing industry to preserve their product in the tropical heat.

Ko Soe Min Naing, the owner of a fish and shrimp wholesale business in Ramree Township, said it is difficult for fish merchants to buy enough ice on days when there are big catches.

“Sometimes when we buy a lot of fish, the ice is not enough. The ice machine cannot produce enough due to lack of electricity,” he added.