Chandpur's hilsa sells at high prices because of a syndicate, leaving ordinary buyers and local people unable to enjoy the fish. Against this backdrop, the Chandpur deputy commissioner has written to the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock asking for hilsa prices to be fixed in the southern districts.

The letter, signed by Deputy Commissioner (DC) Mohammad Mohsin Uddin, reached the media on Tuesday (17 June) morning.

The letter says hilsa from Chandpur's Padma and Meghna rivers is delicious and unmatched in quality. In recognition of this, in 2017 the government recognised Chandpur as "Ilisher Bari Chandpur" (Chandpur, the home of hilsa), Bangladesh's first district branding. Taking advantage of the fish's taste, some unscrupulous traders and wholesalers in Chandpur and neighbouring districts are setting prices as they please, which are completely beyond buyers' reach.

Even permanent residents of Chandpur complain that high hilsa prices have put the fish beyond their purchasing power.

Hilsa is also caught in districts other than Chandpur, so if only the Chandpur district administration moves to fix prices it will have no real effect, the letter says. Besides Chandpur, hilsa is caught in Barishal, Chattogram, Cox's Bazar, Lakshmipur, Bhola, Noakhali, Barguna, Jhalakathi and many other coastal districts. Fishers bear no production cost for hilsa produced in rivers or the sea.

Even so, hilsa prices are controlled by unscrupulous traders or a syndicate. As hilsa is produced naturally, its price should be fixed with the cost of catching it and other related expenses in mind, the letter says.

Haji Shabe Barat Sarkar, general secretary of Chandpur Matsya O Banik Samabay Samiti Ltd, said: "The Chandpur fish landing centre does not receive as much hilsa as there is demand for. Only a small amount comes in, which is why prices rise. There is no scope to raise prices through a syndicate. There isn't the hilsa in the local Padma and Meghna there used to be. Five to 10 kg of hilsa reach the wholesale market a day. Anyone who wants to comment on prices should come and see the reality."

Mirza Omar Faruk, senior upazila fisheries officer for Chandpur Sadar, said: "The fisheries department keeps records of hilsa supply throughout the year. If any agency wants to know the price, we give the market rate for that period. The fisheries department does not really work on hilsa prices; it works on supply."

Chandpur DC Mohammad Mohsin Uddin said: "A letter has been sent to the ministry setting out the real situation so that hilsa prices can be fixed. At the same time we have asked for the matter to be looked at seriously."

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