SUSHANTA GHOSH

The announcement of hilsa exports has immediately pushed up prices by at least 10 percent in wholesale markets across Barishal, with traders warning that rates may climb by 50 percent once exports actually begin.

A visit to the city’s largest wholesale hub, Barishal Fish Market on Port Road, found traders preparing to send consignments of hilsa to Dhaka in corkshit boxes.

Mohammad Arif, manager of Shakil Enterprise, said a day ago one maund (40kg) of one-kilo-sized hilsa was selling for Tk 85,000, but yesterday the price jumped to Tk 88,000. Similarly, hilsa weighing 700–800 grams -- known as LC-size -- rose from Tk 73,000 to Tk 76,000 per maund within two days.

“Prices will soar further once export starts,” Arif said. “A kilo of hilsa could soon cost one and a half times more than it does now.”

According to the Barishal divisional fisheries office, hilsa production in July was 10,876 tonnes, while on September 19 alone, 22,066 tonnes were landed across 372 stations in the division.

Despite the rising supply, retail prices remain high.

Md Anisuzzaman, assistant director of the divisional fisheries office in Barishal, said, “In Barishal, a one-kilo hilsa is already selling for Tk 2,200. I don’t see how exporters will manage at a lower price.”

The government has approved the export of 1,200 tonnes of hilsa, with each kilo priced at $12 (around Tk 1,500), still below current domestic market rates.

Md Alauddin, a hilsa trader from Bhola, said fish are now being caught mostly in deeper seas, raising operational costs. Frequent fishing bans due to rough weather also force fishermen to borrow from moneylenders, pushing up prices further.

Shariful Islam, manager of the BFDC station in Alipur, said medium-sized hilsa (600–800g) sold for Tk 65,000 per maund yesterday, up from Tk 55,000 last year.

“Prices were already higher this year, even before the export decision,” he added.