There is demand for hilsa all year round at the Borostation fish ghat in Chandpur. But for the past two or three years fishermen's nets in the Padma and Meghna have caught fewer hilsa, and prices have doubled as a result. Now there are no buyers.

Although there is some supply of hilsa at the Chandpur ghat, traders are getting no response from buyers. This was the scene from morning to noon on 19 January at Borostation, Chandpur's largest fish ghat, where traders sat idle with their hilsa. Fewer buyers are coming to the wholesale market because prices have risen.

Mazharul Islam Anik, who had come to buy hilsa, said: "Several of us came together to buy hilsa at Borostation. But hearing the price killed our interest. Where we meant to buy 10-12 hilsa, we had to make do with 5-6."

Monsur Hossain, a hilsa trader at the ghat, said: "It is not really hilsa season now. Besides, there was a shortage of hilsa the whole season, which is why prices have not come down. For more than a month there have been fewer buyers at the ghat. We sit with hilsa but get no response. There is hilsa, but hardly any buyers."

Another trader, Raju Ahmed, said hilsa is very scarce and there is no chance of prices falling. Not even 20-30 kg of fish sells in a whole day. Hilsa of one kg are selling for Tk 1,500-2,700, and those of 500-700 grams for Tk 1,200-1,500.

District fisheries officer Golam Mehedi Hasan did not answer repeated phone calls seeking comment.

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