Although 2,420 tonnes of hilsa were approved for export, on conditions, to give Bengalis in India a taste of hilsa during Durga Puja, in the end only 533 tonnes went through Benapole. Just 22 percent of the export order given by the government went to India this time. Many could not export because of lack of time, a shortage of hilsa in the market and an unusual rise in prices. Hilsa exports to India stopped at midnight on Saturday (12 October).

Mahbubur Rahman, fisheries quarantine officer at Benapole land port, said the commerce ministry gave clearance to 49 exporters on 25 September to export 2,420 tonnes of hilsa. Of them, 48 were permitted to export 50 tonnes each and one 20 tonnes. From 26 September to the night of 12 October, 533 tonnes of hilsa were exported to India, worth US$5.33 million, or Tk 63.96 crore in Bangladeshi money.

According to sources, 4,000 tonnes of hilsa were permitted for export to India in 2023, against which only 1,376 tonnes were exported. This time too the export target was not met. Every time, a group of traders gets export permission but does not export hilsa, and the same traders get permission again the following year. With no accountability, this happens every year and no one looks into it.

Exporters say the full amount could not be exported because of the short time between Indian traders' requests for hilsa and the permission given by the Bangladesh government. With imports on the Indian side stopping after the puja began and only a handful of days left for export, this situation arose. Not only this year, but in the past five years too, the full amount of hilsa permitted for export could not be sent.

Meanwhile, people in Jashore and across the country were angry about the hilsa export. While one-kg hilsa sold for Tk 1,800 to Tk 2,000 in the domestic market, hilsa were exported to India for only Tk 1,200 a kg. This has drawn discussion and criticism across the country.

However, one source among traders says hilsa are not in fact being exported to India at that price. With news of the exports, a hilsa shortage appeared in the markets of Benapole and nearby areas. Taking advantage of this, prices were raised without limit, putting hilsa, the Bengalis' prized national fish, beyond the reach of ordinary buyers. Because of the high prices, hilsa did not reach the plates of middle and low-income people.

Rezaul Karim of the hilsa exporter Sotota Fish said all exports by road from Benapole to India are closed on Friday, the weekly holiday, though Saturday is open. India, on the other hand, stops fish imports on Sunday. Leaving out these two days of the week, traders had only 12 days to send hilsa to India between 26 September and 12 October. In addition, many could not send hilsa because of the shortage in the market and the unusual rise in prices. The export price this time was US$10 a kg, equal to Tk 1,180 in Bangladeshi currency, but fish could not be bought in the market for less than Tk 1,800. There was also a shortage of fish at the big wholesale centres, he said.

Rashedul Sajib Nazir, deputy director (traffic) of Benapole land port, said the hilsa consignments were cleared duty-free by the customs of both India and Bangladesh. In 12 days, 533 tonnes of hilsa were exported to India through this port. Of the 49 firms approved to export hilsa, 20 managed to export, while 29 could not export any hilsa, he said.

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