There is a wide gap between the prices of local and Indian hilsa at Chattogram's Fishery Ghat. Hilsa from India is selling relatively cheaply, while local hilsa from the sea and rivers costs more. Traders say local hilsa prices may fall within a few days if enough fish come in from the sea.

The information came from a visit to the Fishery Ghat wholesale market on Friday, 21 August, and conversations with traders and fishermen.

According to traders, local hilsa weighing one and a half to two kg sells at Tk 2,200 to 2,600 a kg. Fish of one kg to 1.3 kg cost Tk 1,550 to 1,800 a kg, and fish of 500 to 900 grams sell at Tk 800 to 1,100 a kg.

Large hilsa fetch even more: fish of about 900 grams to one kg were seen selling at up to Tk 2,450 a kg, while fish of 1.2 to 1.3 kg cost Tk 1,550 to 1,600.

Traders said Indian hilsa is now also arriving at Fishery Ghat and selling relatively cheaply. They said it enters Bangladesh through land ports and comes on to the Chattogram market.

Mofidul Islam, a seller, told Jago News that although Indian hilsa carries more roe, the taste and quality of local hilsa are different. Because Indian hilsa is cheaper, some buyers are turning to it.

Fishery Ghat traders said that because signal number 3 was hoisted at sea a few days ago, many fishing trawlers could not return with enough fish, which reduced the supply of local hilsa and pushed up prices.

Fisherman Altaf Hossain told Jago News that fishermen are not getting the prices they expected after returning from the sea. Fish that earlier sold for Tk 95,000 a maund later had to be sold for Tk 60,000 a maund, so after hard and difficult work they are facing losses.

According to fishermen, large hilsa now sell at about Tk 90,000 a maund, slightly smaller ones at Tk 60,000 and smaller still at Tk 40,000 to 50,000 a maund, with prices varying by size and quality.

Trader Robi Chowdhury told Jago News that hilsa prices are somewhat high because less fish is coming from the sea, but if trawlers return with enough fish in the next two to four or 10 days, supply will rise and prices may fall. He said one-kg hilsa sell at Tk 70,000 to 80,000 a maund, 700-gram fish at about Tk 75,000 and half-kg fish at about Tk 70,000, with prices set by quality and size.

Robi Chowdhury, a leader of the Fishery Ghat traders' association, also said the arrival of Indian hilsa has put price pressure on local hilsa. He claimed that although Indian hilsa look bigger, the flesh, taste and quality of local hilsa are different.

Another fisherman, Lutfar Rahman, told Jago News that local hilsa have fuller bodies and more flesh, while Indian hilsa have somewhat larger heads and differ in size and shape.

Seller Renuara Begum told Jago News: "I'm selling at Tk 1,300-1,400 a kg. Everyone is selling as they like, and whoever wants to buys and takes it."

Traders also allege that the long transport and storage of Indian hilsa often spoils the fish's natural quality, claiming that after a few hours the fish can go soft and change colour.

Fishery Ghat traders hope that supply will rise when trawlers return from the sea with enough hilsa in the coming days, and that local hilsa prices will then come down somewhat.

Wholesale trading at Fishery Ghat was nearly over at the time of the visit. Retailers who had bought from wholesale commission agents had set out large and medium hilsa, and buyers were present across the market.

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