Very few hilsa have been caught in the Padma and Meghna rivers at Chandpur for some time, leaving local fishermen frustrated. But although supply is low, fishermen have been landing large hilsa since the beginning of June.

On 23 June, fishermen brought a hilsa weighing two and a half kilograms to the Boro Station fish landing in Chandpur. It was auctioned at a wholesale arat and sold for Tk 13,150.

The fish, caught in the Meghna, was brought to Uttam Das's arat in the morning. At least 15 traders took part in the bidding, and trader Nabir Hossain bought it for Tk 13,150.

Nabir Hossain said fishermen had been getting large hilsa since June, something not seen before. A few days earlier, a hilsa weighing two kilograms 480 grams had also sold at auction for Tk 13,390, and he had bought that one too.

Shabe Barat Sarkar, general secretary of the Chandpur Fish Traders' Association, said there was no hilsa supply at all. Hilsa from the southern region was not arriving; what there was came from local rivers, and fishermen occasionally brought one or two large fish to the landing.

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