Masud Rana, Barishal

Immediately after the decision to export to India, the price of hilsa rose further in Barishal. The price per piece has increased by Tk 10 to 12 thousand in a span of three days. This has adversely affected the wholesale and retail markets.

Traders and wholesalers complain that prices have suddenly increased as exporters procured hilsa by syndicate. As a result, hilsa has gone beyond the purchasing power of not only ordinary buyers, but also the middle class.

At the Port Road Fish Landing Center in Barishal city on Monday afternoon, a picture of desperation was seen among the buyers. Most of them went to buy hilsa and returned empty handed, while some returned to buy other fish.

It has been seen from the fish landing center that the price of hilsa has increased from 10,000 to 12,000 taka per head after the Ministry of Commerce announced the decision to export to India. One kg of fish weighing 200 grams was 65,000 taka three days ago, but now it is being sold at 76,000 taka. One kg fish has increased from Tk 58,000 to Tk 68,000, LC (700 to 900 grams) fish has increased from Tk 53,000 to Tk 62,000, Valka (400 to 600 grams) has increased from Tk 45,000 to Tk 52,000 and Jatka is Tk 27,000. It is being sold at Tk 35,000 per head.

Hilsa dealer Nasir Uddin told Bhorer Akash, “There is not much supply of hilsa this time.” Among them, syndicate business has started everywhere on the news of export. The exporters are taking the fish by syndicate. Because of this common people are not getting hilsa. Ordinary people are going back without being able to buy hilsa.

Businessmen said that there is not much hilsa caught in the river. Specially large-sized hilsa is not available. At this time earlier, where eight hundred to thousand mans of hilsa used to come to Barisal’s fish landing center, now a maximum of one and a half hundred men are coming there.

Among these, the export decision has more impact on the local market.

Businessman Mohammad Alam said, “Fish in Fishery Ghat is very less. So the price is very high. We traders are also in a lot of trouble. People are not buying fish because of the high price, we are not able to buy either.

Mohammad Imran, a resident of the city’s bus terminal area, went to the big market to buy fish and returned empty-handed. He said, “It is much better to eat hilsa than eating hilsa at such a price.” I came to buy hilsa and left without hearing the price. Hilsa will not be added to the forehead of the middle class like us.