In the past five days, 91 trucks have carried 277 tonnes 300 kg of hilsa to India through Benapole port in Jashore. Rashedul Sajib Nazir, deputy director of Benapole land port, gave the figures on the afternoon of Wednesday, 2 October.

Of this, 54 tonnes 460 kg went in 20 trucks last Thursday, 45 tonnes 200 kg in 15 trucks on Saturday, 19 tonnes in six trucks on Sunday, 89 tonnes in 30 trucks on Monday and 69 tonnes 640 kg in 23 trucks on Tuesday. Hilsa is being exported at $10 a kg.

On Wednesday, one-kilogram hilsa sold wholesale for Tk 1,700 to Tk 1,800 at the fish wholesale market in Benapole, and fish over one kilogram for Tk 2,200. By that measure, hilsa of the same size is being exported to India for about Tk 500-600 less.

Aswadul Alam, inspector at the fish inspection and quality control centre at Benapole land port, said the circular on hilsa exports is several years old, but the price could be adjusted in line with domestic market rates.

Ismail Hossain, general secretary of the Navaran Bazar fish wholesalers' association, said: "In the local market a one-kilogram hilsa sells for Tk 1,700-1,800. How it is being exported to India at $10, or Tk 1,180, a kilogram is beyond understanding."

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