Supply lowers hilsa price in city markets

Prices of hilsa have come down for increased supply in the kitchen markets throughout Dhaka bringing relief among the fishmongers.

Retailers said the prices of the national fish, hailed as the King of Fish, have dropped for better supply, but freshwater fish, particularly from the Padma, have gone costly because of shrinking catches.

A spot visit to the city’s kitchen markets on Saturday, The Business Post found that small hilsa is sold at Tk 260-350 per kg, compared to Tk 400-550 in the past week.

Medium-sized hilsa is sold at Tk 650 per kg which was Tk 700 per kg in the past week.

Hilsas sized above one kg were as sold at Tk 800, Tk 900 and Tk 1,000 per kg which was at Tk 1,200-1,300 per kg in last week.

Talking to The Business Post, Md Kanchan Mia, fish traders at Mirpur 1 kitchen market said, “Various sizes of hilsa are available in the markets which are mainly coming from Myanmar, Barisal and Chattogram. Hilsa prices dropped as there is enough supply in the market. The taste of hilsa also reduces in the winter that’s maybe another reason behind consumers’ lesser purchase.”

The consumers said they got to relive as the hilsa fish dropped in the kitchen markets but many of them said the prices are not satisfactory till now.

However, traders claimed that still, prices of hilsas caught on the River Padma were much higher than others.

They also said that if the government stops exporting hilsa abroad then there will be no shortages of hilsa in the kitchen markets and everyone will be able to eat this tasty fish too.

According to the data of the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock, hilsa production jumped from 3,00,000 tonnes in 2008-09 to 5,00,000 tons in 2017-18.

In the financial year 2019-20, sine 5,50,000 tonnes of hilsa were caught in the country, 66 per cent of which was from the districts under Barisal division.

On the other hand, Murrel, Tilapia, Rohu, Catla, Stinging Catfish, Snakehead Shrimp, Mrigal Carp, Silver Carp, and Climbing Perch, prices were comparatively low on Saturday.

Cultivated stinging catfish was sold at Tk 400- 500 per kg which was Tk 550-600 per kg in last week while local stinging catfish was sold at Tk 600-700 per kg compared to Tk 800-1,000 per kg last week.

Shrimp was sold at Tk 500-600 per kg which is down from Tk 700-800 per kg last week.

Middle and large sizes of rohu were sold at Tk 250 to 300 which was Tk 350 last week while the small sizes of rohu cost Tk 160-170 in the kitchen market.