Diesel Shortage Hits Kuwait’s Fishing Industry

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KUWAIT CITY, Nov 19: According to the Kuwait Fishermen Union, the diesel crisis has affected the market and prices, especially since the Sharq and Fahaheel markets are almost devoid of local products. The supply is much lower than before, and prices are rising due to the lack of supply as if we are revolving in a vicious circle. Urgent solutions must be developed before reaching a dead end. Many fishermen are considering selling their licenses and boats and relieving their workers due to the high operational cost and the insufficient share of subsidized diesel.

In a press statement, the union explained that the cost of a basket of shrimps has touched KD 100.

What is happening with the Kuwait Fishermen Union has not happened with any other food security union.

The decision to spend half of the diesel quota subsidized and the other half unsubsidized has disastrous proportions and will cause fishermen to refrain from going into the sea. This is due to the fact that the cost of a fishing trip is more than KD 400, and this will double due to unsubsidized diesel. Entering the sea will then be of no benefit and will inflict more losses on the fishermen.

The union called on the Subsidy Committee to review its decision and disburse the full share as it did in past years.

It affirmed that it did not find a justification for stopping the subsidized diesel share at times and reducing it to half at other times, and then the subsidy committee would resort to returning half of the diesel share as subsidized and the other half as unsubsidized. This is what the fishing license holders were upset about. They are wondering about the reasons that led to the fight against the local products of fish and shrimp.

The union said, “We often hear from some officials about the necessity of supporting the local product, but unfortunately we find that they are just slogans. There are those who deliberately place obstacles in front of the local product, as we see in the issue of withholding subsidized diesel. It is as if someone is trying to eliminate the entire fishing profession – this ancient traditional profession – and is pushing in the direction of relying on imported products.”

By Abdul Nasser Al-Aslami
Al-Seyassah / Arab Times Staff

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