Even in full season, the price of hilsa is very high from wholesale to retail market in Cox's Bazar. That's why low income people are not able to afford hilsa in their food items.
On Saturday (September 21) at noon in Cox's Bazar's big market, Baharchhara Bazar, Kanaiya Bazar, one and a half kg hilsa is being sold at Tk. 2300 per kg, 1 kg hilsa at Tk. 1800 and 700/900 grams of hilsa is being sold at Tk. 1500. Ordinary buyers have expressed dissatisfaction with such prices of hilsa.
Although the sea has not been able to catch fish for the past few days, many trawlers have gone to the sea to fish as the weather conditions have started to normalize. Many trawlers again gathered fish from the sea at the fishing ghat. But hilsa has been caught very less. That is why the price of hilsa is very high in the wholesale market.
Barta24.com reporter talked to Abdur Rashid Baddar, the owner of Maer Doa Trawler at Cox's Bazar Fish Landing Centre. A few trawlers arrived today, he said. The price skyrocketed due to the scarcity of hilsa. 100 hilsa is being sold from Tk. 1 lakh 50 thousand to Tk. 1 lakh 70 thousand above wholesale kg. Those below are being sold for Tk. 120,000 to Tk. 140,000.
Businessman Mohammad Alam said that there are very few fish in Fisherighat. So the price is high. Businessmen are also in a lot of trouble. People are not buying fish at high prices. We can't buy either.
Rahul Mahajan, a resident of Goldighir area of the town, said that the price of hilsa is sky high. It is much better to eat meat than to eat hilsa at such a price. Middle class people like us will not have hilsa on their foreheads. I want to buy hilsa for the past few days but I can't buy it.
Rahimuddin, a resident of Samitipara, said that he is not eating hilsa because the price is out of reach. Although thousands of hilsa are caught in Cox's Bazar, we do not get hilsa. How to buy hilsa with such a price!
GM Rabbani, Manager of Cox's Bazar Fish Landing and Wholesale Fish Market, told Barta24.com that the supply of fish at the fish landing center is very low. Fishermen could not go to the sea due to hostile weather. After the weather conditions became normal, the trawlers went to the sea to fish but the trawlers have not returned with the fish yet. Fish may be seen by the middle of this week.
Meanwhile, the government has approved the export of 3000 tons of hilsa to India on the occasion of upcoming Durga Puja. Due to this reason, the price of hilsa may increase further.