Prices of Hilsa have fallen slightly in the past few days as supplies increased at the fish landing centres and markets in Chandpur, although the fish remains beyond the reach of most ordinary consumers.
Fishermen said relatively fewer small-sized Hilsa are being caught in the rivers this year, with fish weighing 700 grams to one kilogram or more making up most of the catch.
Fish traders said Hilsa is arriving at Chandpur's fish markets from the local Padma-Meghna rivers as well as from Bhola and Hatiya in the southern region. Although consignments of Indian Hilsa arrived in Chandpur several times earlier, no such fish is currently coming, fisheries officials said.
The information came from visits to the town's largest fish landing centre at Boro Station and Harina fish market in Sadar upazila, where traders, fishermen and leaders of the fishing community were interviewed.
During a visit to Boro Station fish market on Saturday afternoon, the landing centre was bustling with Hilsa trading. Fishermen were bringing fresh catches from the rivers, while aratdars (wholesale traders) were auctioning the fish soon after they arrived at the market.
Fisherman Amir Khan said a reasonable amount of fish had been available in the Padma-Meghna rivers over the past few days, resulting in a slight fall in prices. "We are now making some profit after covering fishing costs," he said.
Fisherman Md Hanif of Baharia area in Sadar said small Hilsa were relatively scarce this year. Most of the fish they catch daily weigh between 700 grams and more than one kilogram. He also said Hilsa supplies had increased over the past week.
According to traders at the landing centres, locally sourced Padma-Meghna Hilsa weighing more than one kilogram is selling at Taka 2,700-Taka 2,800 per kilogram at retail markets. Fish weighing 800-900 grams are selling for Taka 2,200-Taka 2,300, 500-gram Hilsa for around Taka 1,500 and 300-400-gram fish for around Taka 1,200 per kilogram.
Hilsa coming from Bhola and Hatiya is comparatively cheaper. Wholesale trader Haji Babul said one-kilogram Hilsa from the southern region is selling for around Taka 2,200 per kilogram, while 800-900-gram fish is priced at Taka 1,700-Taka 1,800, 500-gram fish at Taka 1,100-Taka 1,200 and smaller Hilsa at Taka 800-Taka 1,000 per kilogram.
Md Jahangir Hossain Soyal, a hilsa seller at Harina fish market, said prices had declined slightly due to increased supplies. Around 200-250 maunds of fresh hilsa, excluding ice, are currently being sold wholesale and retail at the market every day.
Consumers have also expressed relief over the lower prices.
Local buyer Tutul Majumder said he and his relatives purchased 40 kilograms of Hilsa at Taka 2,600 per kilogram. He said he was happy that prices had come down somewhat.
Private-sector employees Ibrahim Hossain and Hafiz Uddin, who came from Cumilla to buy Hilsa, said they purchased 30 kilograms of fish of different sizes together. They said the lower prices had brought some relief and that they would have bought more if prices fell further.
Chandpur Fish Traders Association General Secretary Sabe Barat Sarkar said 500-600 maunds of Hilsa had been traded daily at the fish landing centre even a few days ago. The volume, however, fell to 200-250 maunds over the past two days.
He said their arats receive mostly locally sourced Padma-Meghna hilsa, while comparatively smaller fish arrive from the southern region. Some Indian Hilsa had also arrived earlier, but those fish have now been sent to major cities, he added.
Association President Abdul Bari Jamadar Manik said Hilsa supplies remained good, keeping market prices relatively stable over the past few days. Buyers from different sections of society were purchasing the fish, he said.
Chandpur Sadar Upazila Senior Fisheries Officer Mirza Omar Faruk said Indian Hilsa had arrived in Chandpur in several consignments but was no longer coming in. Supplies of locally caught Hilsa have increased, he added.
