The most coveted Bangladeshi Hilsa may hit West Bengal ahead of the Durga Puja at a time when the markets across the city and districts in the state are virtually running out of the local silver-fish usually netted at Digha, Diamond Harbour or Kolaghat.
Anwar Muqsood, secretary of both the Fish Importers’ Association and Howrah Wholesale Fish Market has given a ray of hope to the fish-loving Bengalis today saying, “We are expecting a considerable consignment of Bangladeshi Hilsa fish this time by the end of September. We are also in constant touch with the Bangladesh government through different administrative levels in Delhi for the past one month,” he said.
“This year, city markets are virtually running out of even local Hilsa in our state. The non-availability of the local Hilsa has made the price highly expensive. It costs around Rs 2,000 per kg in city markets,” he added.
“In some markets, Hilsa weighing around 200 to 500 gms are being sold at around Rs 600 to Rs 800 per kg,” a small seller at Dum Dum bazaar said. In September 2020, as much as 1,450 MT of Bangladeshi Hilsa were imported to India after Bangladesh lifted the ban on exporting the fish.
For the first time since 2012, when Bangladesh had banned the export of Hilsa fish, the government of the neighbouring country has given special permission for the export of the much-loved delicacy. The export wing under the Bangladeshi commerce ministry had approved nine private agencies in the country to export around 1,450 MT of Hilsa to India from next week.
“It was the biggest ever consignment of Bangladeshi Hilsa hitting markets in Kolkata and other towns last year since 2012. Bangladesh government had responded to our requests seeking Hilsa for Bengal,” Anwar said. He said that exorbitant prices of Hilsa in the city market would also come down to Rs 1,200 per kg for bigger sizes and Rs 800 per kg for smaller sizes, weighing 700 to 800 gm, he added.