Photo : TDM
The price of hilsa fish (also known as ilish) remains high despite a huge supply of this fish delicacy to the country's biggest hilsha fish market Chandpur Fishery Ghat from Barguna, Bhola, Monpura, Noakhali, and Hatia.
Although hilsa is not seen in the nets of the fishermen in the Padma-Meghna estuary of Chandpur, a lot of hilsa of various sizes have been caught in the sea estuary for several days. As a result, a large number of hilsa are coming to Chandpur Fishery Ghat.
During a visit to the fishery ghat on Sunday afternoon, the market was seen very festive with the shouts of buyers and sellers. Fish is coming to the market in trucks and trawlers every now and then. After collecting, the fish is auctioned by the owners of different depots. The depot owners are calling for an auction after stacking small, big, and fresh fish separately. At this time, fish sellers from different local markets and hilsa suppliers from different parts of the country are participating in the auction and buying hilsa.
At present, small hilsa from the estuary of the sea is being bought and sold at a price of 20 to 25 thousand taka per maund. Chandpur's fresh hilsa is being sold at Tk 1,600 to Tk 1,800 per kg. However, big hilsa is 60 to 70 thousand taka per maund.
Mizanur Rahman Kalu, a fish depot owner, said, “Hilsa was not seen at the beginning of the season, but hilsa has been coming from Noakhali, Bhola, and Barisal in trawlers and trucks for the past three to four days. Compared to other years, less than half of the hilsa has arrived this season, most of which are small in size.”
Saddam Hossain, a hilsa fish seller, informed that most of the buyers come to Chandpur's fishery ghat to buy fresh hilsa from Chandpur's Padma-Meghna. But there is no such supply of fresh Hilsa. Now most of the hilsa is in the sea estuary, small in size. The price of fresh big hilsa in Chandpur is very high.
He also said that small hilsa from the sea is currently being bought and sold in the market at a price of 15 to 20 thousand taka per mound. Chandpur's fresh hilsa is being sold at Tk 1,600 to Tk 1,800 per kg. Hilsa of one and a half kg size is sold at Tk 2,000 to Tk 2,500, and its bigger ones at Tk 3,500 to Tk 4,500 per kg.
A businessman named Zahirul Islam Liton, who came from Hajiganj to buy fresh hilsa from Padma, said that he always buys local hilsa fish from Chandpur. But this time the price of hilsa is very high.
Haji Md. Sabe Barat, the general secretary of Chandpur Fisheries and Traders Association, said that due to the increase in water in the river and rain, the fishermen are getting a little more hilsa than before.
Abdul Bari Manik Jamadar, the president of Chandpur Fishery Traders Association, said, “There was no hilsa supply in Chandpur at the beginning of the season. However, hilsa has started coming for a few days, although the amount is less than half of other years.”
Senior Fisheries Officer of Chandpur, Tanjimul Islam, said, “The supply of Hilsa was very low even before the last 10 days, and the price was high. In the last two days, as the supply of hilsa increased, the price also decreased. We are in regular contact with the fish market traders. Due to rains and increased water flow in rivers, fishermen are starting to catch hilsa in their nets.”
TDM/SD
