This rainy season, Hilsa fish prices have risen to an all-time high, rendering it unattainable for those with modest to moderate incomes.
Prices for the fish are still exorbitant, ranging from Tk 1,500 to Tk 3,200 per kilogram, depending on the size, despite a slight rise in supply in recent weeks.
Low supply, rising fishing costs, and excessive demand are the key causes of the price explosion, according to traders and market analysts.
When the FE went to other major markets, he discovered that a 500-gram river hilsa from Chandpur now costs at least Tk 1,500 per kilogram. A kg of medium-sized hilsa (about 750 gm) costs about Tk 2,000, whereas a kg of hilsa weighing more than 1.0 kg costs Tk 2,800–3,200.
As reported by the Department of Agricultural Marketing, hilsa prices have surged by 35-40 percent compared to the same period last year.
Traders have indicated that the hilsa season has just commenced, leading to a slight increase in fish collection.
Md Arefin, a fish vendor at Rayer Bazar in Dhaka, mentioned that hilsa prices have remained elevated for the past year. Although there was a slight decrease in prices during September and October of the previous year, they have since exceeded Tk 1,500 per kg.
While hilsa supply in the Chandpur wholesale market has seen a minor improvement, it is still insufficient, he added.
Md Shabe Barat, secretary of the Chandpur Fish Traders’ Cooperative, noted that hilsa prices began to rise significantly in 2022 following a government increase in diesel prices by over 50 percent.
This year, the low fish supply is also contributing to the rising prices. After a two-month fishing ban, sea hilsa is now entering the market, which may help lower prices in the upcoming two weeks.
He also pointed out that hilsa catches typically increase from mid-August and continue through November.
When questioned about the reduced catch, Dr. Rabiul Awal Hossain, Chief Principal Officer of the Bangladesh Fish Research Institute, explained that hilsa’s breeding cycle has shifted over the last twenty years.
Previously, the primary catching season was from June to August, but it has now shifted mainly to September through November.
He stated that the government has implemented numerous initiatives to boost hilsa production and conserve the species, but these measures have also led to a decrease in fish supply during specific months.
S M Nazer Hossain, Vice President of the Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB), remarked that both low- and middle-income individuals are now hesitant to purchase hilsa. It has become a delicacy that only the affluent can afford, which he considers unjust.
The government has spent a lot of money on hilsa conservation, but poor people are not getting any benefit. He urged the government to set fair prices for hilsa, so that people can afford to eat the national fish.
According to the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock, Bangladesh produces about 0.5 million tonnes of hilsa each year, which is 11 per cent of the country’s total fish production.
