The prices of hilsa increased in the kitchen markets of Dhaka city last week.
Traders attributed this hike to a low catch of the delicious silvery fish in the fishing hubs.
Official data also revealed hilsa went up in prices by 20-30 per cent this peak season from that of the same period last year.
Some vegetables became dearer, but onion and ginger prices declined slightly during the week.
The prices of hilsa, which showed a decline in the first week of September, started to increase again.
Medium-sized hilsa weighing 700-850 grams sold at Tk 350-Tk 600 each and that weighing above 950gm at Tk 800-Tk 1,450 on Thursday-a Tk 50-Tk 100 hike in a week.
Small-sized fish sold at Tk 500-Tk 550 a kg in the market, showing a Tk 50 hike in a week.
Meanwhile, the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) data showed the prices of the national fish are now 20 per cent higher than last year's.
It was 30 per cent costlier in August this year than that of the calendar year 2017.
Kurban Ali, a fish vendor at Rayerbazar in the city, told the FE that hilsa prices started to increase since last Tuesday.
The market has remained up and down for the last one month, he said.
"But we think hilsa won't be as cheaper this season as it was last season," Mr Ali mentioned.
Jatrabari Matsha Aratdar Bahumukhi Shamabay Samity Ltd chairman Md Abu Bakkar Siddique said hilsa prices were much higher in Patuakhali, Barisal, Cox's Bazar and Chattogram districts.
Medium-sized hilsa was traded at Tk 45,000-Tk 465,00 a quintal or 100 kg in Chattogram on Wednesday evening.
It was 15-20 per cent higher than that of a year ago.
Kalapara Khudro Matshajibi Samity president Yunus Farazi told the FE that fishermen were getting fish in smaller numbers than last year's.
The price is higher amid a decline in the hilsa haul for rough weather, he mentioned.
Mr Farazi said the hilsa prices hit a record low in the peak season, from mid-July to mid-September, in 2017.
The fisheries department said the country produced 0.405 million tonnes of hilsa in the last fiscal year.
Vegetables like pointed gourd, sponge gourd, ridge gourd, long bean and bitter gourd showed a rise by Tk 5.0-Tk 10 a kg as sold between Tk 40 and Tk 70 a kg.
The prices of local onion dropped by Tk 4-Tk 5.0 a kg and ginger by Tk 5.0-10 a kg.
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