Fish prices, especially of cultured ones, were going beyond commoners' reach following an uptrend in rates of broiler chicken and other meat.
Cultured pangas, koi, tilapia, ruhi, katla and pabda witnessed a hike by Tk 50-60 a kg in a week causing further woes to low earning population, said market sources.
Pangas, koi and tilapia, three key fish protein sources for the country's poor people, witnessed a hike by Tk 50-60 a kg as pangas was retailed at Tk 180-240 a kg depending on its size.
Cultured koi was traded at Tk 260-Tk 330 a kg and tilapia Tk 200-Tk 250 a kg on Thursday.
Cultured ruhi and katla were retailed at Tk 370-480 a kg on Thursday marking further hike.
Prices of riverine fish, including hilsa, pabda, shrimp, ruhi, katla and shoul increased by Tk 80-Tk 150 per kg.
Indigenous ruhi (over 2.5 kg) was sold at Tk 500-Tk 750 per kg and katla at Tk 480-Tk 650 a kg at New Market Banalata Kanchabazar, Shantinagar Bazar and Hatirpool Bazar in the city.
Shrimp was selling at Tk 750-Tk 1,350 a kg, shoul at Tk 500-Tk 650, riverine pabda and aair at Tk 750-Tk 1150 a kg depending on their size.
Asked, Abdul Latif Tarafder, a trader at Jatrabari Fish Wholesale Market, said a surge in broiler and Pakistani chicken prices put an impact on cultured fish market.
He said demand for cultured fish was increasing for the gradual hike in meat prices.
He said production of many cultured fish declined in recent months amid rocketing prices of fish feed.
According to the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB), chicken prices witnessed 20-26 per cent hike in last ten days.
Broiler chicken price hit Tk 200-220 a kg, Pakistani/Sonali chickens Tk 320-350 last week, marking a Tk 50-60 hike in one and a half weeks.
Farm economist Prof Dr Md Moniruzzaman said fish feed price increased over Tk 75 a kg marking more than 100 per cent hike in one and a half years.
He said pond owners were reducing pangas, tilapia production because of lower profits.
He said output of cultured pabda, golsha, tengra, rui and katla was increasing instead of pangas or tilapia.
"Without minimising fish or poultry feed prices, it is not possible to bring relief for consumers in the fish or meat markets," he said.
Consumers Association of Bangladesh secretary Humayun Kabir Bhuiyan said millions of the poor were being affected by the price surge of rice, flour, cultured fish, boiler chicken and egg.
He said they were reducing their protein intake amid the high inflationary pressure.
According to the FAO, Bangladesh is the third largest cultured fish producer in the world.
The country produces 4.7 million tonnes of fish annually, of which cultured fish comprises more than 30 per cent, according to the Department of Fisheries (DoF).
TCB recorded more than 33 per cent hike in few cultured fish prices in last one year.
