Two days after the holy Eid-ul-Fitr, the nation will celebrate Pahela Baishakh, the Bengali new year. The two festivals are being held back-to-back due to an increase in demand for hilsha. But currently, there aren’t enough hilsha fish in the rivers. Because of this, there is a shortage and a sharp increase in hilsha prices in both the retail and wholesale markets.
We learned from visiting many marketplaces in Barishal and Barguna that the vendors are charging between Tk 3,000 and Tk 6,000 for each piece of hilsha that weighs more than one kilogram. Additionally, the cost of 500gm-hilsha fish has decreased from Tk 800 a few days ago to Tk 1,200 a kg.
In the wholesale sector, hilsha prices have also increased. The cost of a mound of hilsha fish is now 100,000 Tk. At the hilsha port in Barishal city, the cost of a single mound of little hilsha fish has surpassed Tk 50,000.
Fishing has been prohibited in the Meghna River for almost two months, according to vice-president Zahir Sikder, who was speaking to the Prothom Alo Barishal Sadar Matsya Aratdar organization (fish dealers organization). In addition, hilsha fish are scarce in other rivers. Every day, between 100 and 150 mounds of hilsha fish, or one-sixth of the total during regular times, arrive at the port road.
He added that prior to Eid-ul-Fitr and Pahela Baishakh celebrations, the demand for hilsha fish increased dramatically. On the other hand, the ratio of supply to demand is rather low. Hilsha prices are currently rising as a result.
1.5-kg Hilsha fish are sold for Tk 100,000 per mound at the port roads, 1.2-kg Hilsha fish are sold for Tk 96,000 per mound, and 1-kg Hilsha fish are sold for Tk 85,000 per mound. In addition, hilsha fish under 1 kg are sold for Tk 65,000–70,000 each mound, while those under 600 grams are sold for Tk 50,000–55,000 per mound.
Fish from Barishal’s rivers has a better flavor. As a result, fish wholesaler Rafiq Molla remarked that the prices are high. Before Eid-ul-Fitr and Pahela Baishakh, traders from Dhaka, Chattogram, Chandpur, and other regions of the nation have traveled here to buy hilsha. Furthermore, there is the local population’s demand. Nevertheless, none of the stores have enough hilshas. Thus, the cost is increasing.
The costs of hilsha fish have gone up by Tk 10,000 to Tk 20,000 per mound in the previous three days, according to Md Emon, a vendor at the port road market. It will probably rise even more.
