Bangladeshi hilsa is available in Kolkata market
September 27, 2024Updated:September 27, 20242 Mins Read
International Desk: Hilsa is being sold at 'sky-high' prices in Kolkata. The first shipment of hilsa from Bangladesh is fetching high prices in the wholesale and retail markets. As a result, the fish is out of reach of ordinary buyers.

The first shipment of hilsa from Bangladesh went to Kolkata on Thursday. Hilsa from the border reaches the wholesale markets of Kolkata's Howrah, Patipukur, Barasat, Sealda, North Bengal city of Siliguri early on Friday morning. The fish auction starts early in the morning. Where the price of hilsa bigger than 1 kg in the wholesale market is 1600 to 1700 rupees. And the price of hilsa below one kg has gone up to 1400-1509 rupees. And at the local retail level, the price rises from two thousand rupees to two and a half thousand rupees.

The sellers said that even though the Bengalis of Far Bengal have a strong passion for Padma hilsa fish, such an increase in the price has put a strain on their pockets. Even so, the sales are not bad at all. However, most of the sales have gone to the rich. The middle class relies on the local Diamond Harbor or Myanmar hilsa. However, sellers are optimistic that sales will increase on Sunday, the upcoming holiday.

Fish Importers Association Secretary Anwar Maqsood said that more than 50 metric tons of fish arrived as the first day's shipment. Since the first consignment is naturally Bengali sentiment, the auction price today is a bit higher. If more than 100 metric tons of fish came, the price might have been a little lower. Many fish traders came to buy but could not buy because of the price and went back.

He said, 'Since ours is a wholesale market, many sellers will go with the fish. But small scale they need to get good momentum to sell. However, if the fish starts coming regularly, this price will decrease a bit. But it is also true that the landing of fish in Bangladesh is very less. So prices are not expected to drop much.'

Meanwhile, according to a report in Anandabazar newspaper, the price of hilsa has fluctuated between Tk 1,450 and Tk 1,600 per kg in Howrah wholesale market since Friday morning. However, this price may fluctuate based on supply and demand, traders said. A total of 40 metric tons of hilsa have arrived in the state so far from Bangladesh. Hilsa from Bangladesh entered the country through the Petrapol border on Thursday. Some more quantity of hilsa may enter the state through Petrapol-Benapol land port on Friday.

Happy sellers sell Padma hilsa in the West Bengal market before Puja. It has been reported that hilsa will reach all the markets of Kolkata from Friday. However, fishmongers are skeptical about how much the price of this fish is within the reach of the middle class.

Sukumar Mallik, a fish seller of a local market in Howrah, said, 'The price of hilsa in the wholesale market is going up to 1700 rupees per kg. Prices will increase further in the retail market. As a result, it is not clear how many people will be interested in buying hilsa.

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