With ten days left for the Bangla New Year, traders are stockpiling Hilsha as the demand is set to shoot up.
The silver mouth-watering hilsha, Bangladesh’s national fish, is an inseparable part of the Pahela Baishakh celebrations— a must on the table for this festive event.
Hilsha prices spike every year this time as the festival fuels demand and traders stockpile to reap in the benefit.
Wholesale traders as well supermarket chains are now sourcing hilsha directly from the fishermen rather than depending on retailers.
Traders at Dhaka’s major kitchen markets, including Karwan Bazar said the hilsha is now on top of the list of consumers, which has somewhat pushed up the prices. But it will spike more as the Pahela Baishakh nears.
Supermarkets in Dhaka are offering hilshas weighing up to 500 grams for Tk 1,000 to Tk 1,500 while a pair, weighing between 400 and 500 grams, cost Tk 1,000 to 1,200 at the kitchen markets.
Moghbazar resident Hossain Jahid buys hilsha every year for the Bangla New Year celebrations.
“The price is still reasonable for me, but it will go up. So, I am buying now,” he said while speaking to Bangla Tribune at a kitchen market in Dhaka.
Ismail Miah, a Pirojpur-based wholesale trader, however, said they are not supplying hilshas now.
“Our stores are empty as there is a ban on catching hilsha due to the breeding season. Some fishermen may covertly and sell in the local markets. Sometimes consumers buy directly from fishermen,” he told Bangla Tribune.
Miah says some wholesale trader may have stored hilshas in freezers to reap the benefits of increased demand ahead of Pahela Baishakh.
Barishal-based trader Ebadat Hossain echoed. “How will we get hilsha in this time of the year? Our workers now spend time at the storehouses playing board games.”
Asked how it was available in Dhaka, he said, “Stockpiled frozen fishes are now coming in the market.”
In the wake of increased demand every year, unscrupulous traders hoard hilsha in an effort spike prices.
Since 2012, Bangladesh has banned export of the fish. The prime destination of the fish was India along with the US, UK and Italy.
According to official figures, Bangladesh exported more than 8,000 tonnes of frozen and fresh hilshas worth nearly Tk 3 billion in 2011-12 fiscal.
