Baro Station fish ghat in Chandpur, one of the country's main hilsa landing centres, is in crisis. Hilsa supply began to fall steadily from January last year and has now almost hit bottom. Even in the peak hilsa season, the expected catch was not landed in the area.

According to fishermen, hilsa shoals are no longer seen in the Padma and Meghna as before, and this has hit Baro Station directly. While supply has fallen alarmingly, prices have risen several times over, leaving wholesalers and traders short of buyers.

Although it is not hilsa season now, in past years around 150 to 200 maunds of hilsa used to arrive at the ghat every day at this time. This year the picture has changed completely: daily supply is not reaching even 20 maunds, which is rare in the ghat's history.

With supply down, hilsa prices have moved beyond the reach of ordinary people. A 1 kg hilsa now sells for Tk 4,000 to Tk 4,500 in the market. Medium and small hilsa also fetch high prices, so ordinary consumers are turning away.

Sumon Rahman, who came to buy hilsa, said the fish is a favourite but is becoming unpopular because of its price. At Baro Station, hilsa is so expensive that he cannot buy what he wants or needs. The money that used to buy a medium-sized hilsa will not now buy even a small one, he said.

Hilsa trader Monsur Ahmen Mahin said high prices are cutting sales, so wholesalers are counting losses. Fishermen are not getting the hilsa they expect even when they cast their nets, because there is no fish in the river. Prices are high mainly because few hilsa reach the ghat. A 1 kg hilsa now sells for Tk 4,000 to Tk 4,500, hilsa under 1 kg for Tk 3,500 to Tk 3,800, and small hilsa for Tk 2,000.

Another trader, Bijoy Sarkar, said there are almost no hilsa sales in the off-season. There are few hilsa at the ghat and prices are high, so buyers come and leave without buying. "We traders want hilsa supply to increase and prices to stay within reach," he said.

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