Fish lovers may not get priced Bangladeshi hilsa during festive season, importers not interested due to high price

Bangladeshi hilsa are sold at South Kolkatas Gariahat market
| Photo Credit:
DEBASISH BHADURI

Although Bangladesh has approved the export of 1200 tonnes of hilsa, fish lovers may have to settle for less tasty hilsa fish from Myanmar or Gujarat for their favourite Ilish Paturi and Bhapa Ilish during this festive season.

Due to the high price of the ‘Queen of Fish’ from Bangladesh, fish importers of India so far have only imported around 80 tonnes of the fish. Moreover, it is most likely that the traders would soon stop the import of Bangladeshi hilsa as they have already incurred losses.

The first shipment of prized ‘Padma ilish’ (hilsa from the Padma river) arrived in West Bengal on September 17 through Petrapole border, after Bangladesh’s interim government announced that it approved to send 1,200 tonnes of the fish to India ahead of Durga Puja festivities.

“On the first day eight trucks carrying hilsa fish of around 37 tonnes arrived at the Petrapole border. After that only 12 trucks have so far entered. Yesterday (Tuesday) only two trucks arrived. So far all total of only 80 tonnes of the fish have been imported from Bangladesh. The way the number of trucks gradually coming down, we do not expect more trucks carrying the hilsa fish to come,” a customs official told businessline.

Fish importers

According to fish importers, they are not getting sufficient prices for the high-priced Bangladeshi hilsa even at Kolkata’s biggest bazaars, making it unprofitable for them to import further.

“This time prices of Bangladeshi hilsa are very high due to lower availability in the country. We are unable to sell it at high rates. We have already incurred losses for the fishes which we already imported. So, currently we are not importing the fish further at present,” said Syed Anwar Maqsood, secretary of Fish Importers’ Association.

After the first consignment of Bangladeshi hilsa fish reached Kolkata, at popular Kolkata markets hilsa weighing around a kilogram sold for ₹1900-2000 per kg.

“There is not much demand at this high price and that is making import from Bangladesh unvialble. Currently, Myanmar hilsa and Gujarat’s hilsa are available at much lesser price at the Kolkata markets. Hilsa from Gujarat is being sold at around ₹900-1000 per kg,” Maqsood said.

“Due to greater supply of hilsa fish in the market, average prices of the fish have come down. At large and popular markets in the city, average price of the fish has now come down by around ₹200-300 per kg over last week,” said Kamal De, a task force member of the West Bengal government.

Published on September 24, 2025