Hilsa glut at Barisal markets

Large hilsas are now available in Rasulpur wholesale market and other markets of Barisal but prices are high.

While visiting the Rasulpur wholesale market on Tuesday, one of the biggest wholesale markets for hilsa, this correspondent saw that large hilsas caught from the Meghna, Arial Khan, Tentulia, Bishkhali and Kalabadar rivers have flooded the market. 

Nirob Hossain Tutul, secretary of Hilsa Fish Wholesalers' Association, said,

"We find 1,500-2,000 maunds of hilsa in the wholesale market every day. Fishermen are catching a large quantity of hilsa from the local rivers, including Meghna, in Bhola, Tajumuddin and Mehendiganj areas."

This correspondent also found that per kg of hilsa below 500 grams was being sold at Tk 600-700 in retail, while per kg of hilsa weighing between 600 and 800 grams was going for Tk 1,100-1,200 and the fish weighing 800 grams and above was Tk 1,500-2,000 a kg.  

Abul Hossain, of Mehendiganj upazila, said, "I caught two maunds of hilsa and most of the fish were around one kg each."

Farid Mia, a fish trader in Barisal, said he bought 10 maunds of hilsa from Ulania under Mehendiganj, adding that most of the hilsa were medium in size.

Mohammad Wahiduzzaman, district fisheries officer, said as they launched anti-Jatka (Hilsa fries) drives every year strictly, the hilsa size increased.