1. The flat cod is a large fish that grows rapidly and eats a large amount of food, which has a suppressive effect on other species in the food chain. This leads to its large populations in certain seas and relatively cheap prices.
2. Flat cod has a similar meat texture and color to silver cod, another expensive fish, but the price difference is significant. This may be due to the fact that silver cod is richer in fat and has a more delicate flesh.
3. The flesh and texture of flat cod is not for everyone, with some people finding it too tough or woody. This may also contribute to its relatively low price.
4. The season in which the flat cod is caught and where it originates from also have an impact. For example, in New Zealand, the fishing season for flat cod is usually in winter and spring, when there are relatively fewer varieties of fresh fish available, which may have an impact on the price of flat cod.
It should be noted that although flat cod is relatively inexpensive, it can be tricky to handle during the cooking process and requires a lot of frying in oil to achieve the best flavor. In addition, it should be noted that some merchants may use oilfish (also known as isoscale plowshare skate) to pass off as flat cod for sale, and consumers need to be careful to identify them when purchasing.