Kolkata: Over 300 tonnes of local hilsa set to hit markets ahead of Durga Puja

KOLKATA: Over 300 tonnes of hilsa caught by local fishermen from the Bay of Bengal between mid-June and early Aug are set to reach city markets after Vishwa Karma Puja (Sept 17), just in time to meet peak Durga Puja demand. The fresh catch — with fish weighing over 850gm — had disappeared into cold storages to ensure it reached the market during the festive season when demand surges and prices rise.

Hilsa varieties from Odisha, Gujarat and Myanmar were abundantly available in the market at the time.“Since July, there was a glut of hilsa in the market with fish weighing about 1.2-1.4kg selling for Rs 1,200-1,400 per kg. Introducing the local catch from Diamond Harbour would have pushed down prices further. It would have meant a lost opportunity as hilsa netted locally along with the variety from Bangladesh sells for Rs 1,800-Rs 2,500 per kg depending on size,” said a hilsa trader in Howrah’s wholesale market.Currently, fresh local hilsa weighing 1kg or more commands a price of Rs 1,800-2,200 per kg, which might increase further during the festival. On the other hand, Myanmar hilsa is available for Rs 1,500 per kg and could rise to Rs 1,700 per kg during Durga Puja. Another variety currently abundantly available is the local hilsa weighing 500gm or less and priced at around Rs 550-600 per kg. “The sea is now full of small hilsa, and these are being caught in large quantities,” said Tarapada Das, a local fisherman.

Sundarbans Marine Fishermen’s Union Secretary Satinath Patra said people prefer the smaller local hilsa as it is reasonably priced.

The variety is in great demand during Vishwa Karma Puja or ‘Ranna Puja’. For several years now, the demand for larger hilsa during Durga Puja, which sells at a premium, has been met by Bangladeshi imports. As a goodwill gesture, former Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina allowed a small quantity of shipments to India in the run-up to Durga Puja in Sept-Oct.

Last year, despite uncertainty due to political turmoil in the country, the Md Younus-led govt approved the export of up to 2,420 tonnes of the fish ahead of Durga Puja, of which about 577 tonnes actually reached India.Bangladesh Fish Importers’ Association Secretary Syed Anwar Maqsood is still hoping that the Yunus administration will repeat the gesture this year too. He wrote to Bangladesh foreign affairs adviser Touhid Hossain a month ago, requesting him to allow Bangladeshi hilsa traders to export to India before Durga Puja, but there has been no response yet.

But, Maqsood remains optimistic: “Relations between India and Bangladesh may be at an all-time low but Durga Puja is a great season to reset ties and hilsa diplomacy is a great way to break the ice.

”Others, however, are sceptical and say hilsa is unlikely to cross the border this year, especially after India banned the entry of Bangladeshi goods via Petrapole or their export through Kolkata airport. These traders are banking on the fish being netted now in Diamond Harbour to whet the appetite of connoisseurs during the festive season. Diamond Harbour fishermen’s forum secretary Debashis Shyamal claimed the only purpose for hoarding hilsa was to make higher profits.

“Unless the hoarding stops, people will become reliant on the more affordable variety from Gujarat and Myanmar,” he said.