Fish loving Bengalis can rejoice as the short supply of the most-favoured fish hilsa across the markets is set to end. The silver fish from Padma is set to hit the city markets and districts likely from Tuesday, after the commerce ministry of the Sheikh Hasina government approved exports of around 2,500 metric tonnes (MT) Bangladeshi hilsa to India ahead of the Durga Puja festival.

On Sunday, the commerce ministry in Bangladesh gave clearance to 50 agencies in the country to export the huge consignments of hilsa to India.

The ministry has directed the exporting agencies to export hilsa to India considering the Durga Puja festival in the country.

“On Sunday, the Bangladesh commerce ministry approved 50 agencies in the country to export 2,450 MT. I have requested the ministry to give us a minimum 45 days so that the huge consignments of Bangladeshi hilsa could land In West Bengal as well as India regularly during this time frame. We could not get full consignments of 4,600 MT of hilsa from Bangladesh last year because of a limited time frame of 20 to 30 days. Only 1,200 MT hilsa were exported to India owing to the short span of only 30 days though the Bangladeshi government had approved exports of 4,600 MT silver jewel from Padma river,” said Anwar Muqsood, secretary of both the Fish Importers’ Association and Howrah Wholesale Fish Market.

“We have also requested the Sheikh Hasina government to withdraw the existing ban on exporting hilsa to our country since 2012,” Mr Anwar said.

“The first consignment of Bangladeshi hilsa will hit markets in Kolkata and districts in Bengal on and from Tuesday through Petrapole border at a time when the fish-loving Bengalis are eagerly waiting for their most-coveted silver fish. With regular increase in supply the price of the fish is also likely to come down to around Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,200 per kg of hilsa,” he added.

“This year, city markets are virtually running out of even local varieties of hilsa in our state. Non-availability of the local hilsa has made it expensive. It costs around Rs 1,200 to Rs 1,400 per kg of one single piece of local hilsa in city markets,” he added.

“In some markets hilsa weighing around 200 to 500 gm are being sold at around Rs 600 to Rs 800 per kg,” a small seller at Dum Dum bazaar said.

Fish traders in city markets felt that exorbitant prices of hilsa would also come down once the Bangladeshi hilsa landed in Bengal.