In the first consignment for this year's Durga Puja, 37.5 tonnes of hilsa has been exported to India. The fish entered India's Petrapole port from Benapole land port in eight trucks at about 12:30am on the night of Tuesday (16 September).

Benapole port director Shamim Hossain confirmed the matter.

Port sources said five importers in Kolkata brought in the first consignment: National Trading, FNS Fish, Joy Shantasi, Maa International and RJ International. On the Bangladesh side, six exporting firms shipped 37 tonnes 460 kg in the first consignment; the firms named are Satata Fish, Swarnali Enterprise, Tanisha Enterprise, Biswas Traders and Lucky Trading.

Although hilsa exports are banned, the Bangladesh government has allowed a total of 1,200 tonnes to be exported to India for the coming Durga Puja, through 37 firms. One firm was approved for 50 tonnes, 25 firms for 30 tonnes each (750 tonnes), nine firms for 40 tonnes each (360 tonnes) and two firms for 20 tonnes each (40 tonnes).

Sharadiya Durga Puja, the biggest festival of the Bengali Hindu community, begins across West Bengal on 28 September, and Padma hilsa is reaching India before it.

Last year, permission was given to export 2,420 tonnes of hilsa, and 1,306.813 tonnes were exported, which the report puts at 44 per cent of the commerce ministry's export order. Many firms could not export because they could not find fish. Nurul Amin Biswas, proprietor of exporter Biswas Traders, said that this year too, because of the fish shortage and high prices, it would not be possible to export all the fish.

Syed Anwar Maqsud, secretary of India's Fish Importers' Association, said: "We had hoped the amount of hilsa would increase a little. But hilsa production has been very low in Bangladesh too, which may be why less hilsa is coming."

He added: "Whatever the case, Bengalis in India will be able to taste Padma hilsa before the puja, and people on this side of Bengal are deeply grateful to the Bangladesh government for it. Padma hilsa is a delicacy for fish lovers in West Bengal, Assam and Tripura."

Benapole fisheries quarantine officer Sajib Saha said the government had allowed 37 exporters to export 1,200 tonnes of hilsa to India for the coming Durga Puja. In line with this, the commerce ministry instructed on Tuesday that the approved exports must be completed between 16 September and 5 October.

The export price has been set at $12.5 a kilogram, about Tk 1,533. Each hilsa weighs between about 1.2 kg and 1.5 kg, he said.

Although hilsa exports are closed, last year 2,420 tonnes were allowed under special consideration so that Bengalis in India could enjoy the fish during Durga Puja; only 532 tonnes were exported through Benapole port. In 2023, against approval for 79 firms to export 3,500 tonnes, only 631.24 tonnes went through Benapole. In 2022, 59 firms were approved for 2,900 tonnes but only 1,300 tonnes were exported. In 2021, the government approved 115 firms to export 4,600 tonnes to India, and 1,699 tonnes were exported. In 2020, 1,450 tonnes were approved for Durga Puja, and in 2019, 500 tonnes, of which 476 tonnes were exported.

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.