Supply of hilsa is yet to reach the desired level in the city despite arrival of fresh catches of the fish in the kitchen and fish markets after a 22-day ban on netting the fish ended on October 28.
Hilsa started coming in the markets at relatively lower prices after fishing, selling and transporting the fish resumed on Saturday.
Hilsa traders - both wholesalers and retailers - claimed that the quantity of supply and sale of hilsa are not sufficient so far, but are likely to increase in the coming days.
Though the prices of the national fish are comparatively lower now, the customers are not that interested to buy hilsa, as it becomes less delicious mainly in the winter season.
Besides, inflationary pressure on most of the city people also causes poor sale of the fish, they added.
The delicious fish is sold at Tk 700-1,550 a kg, based on size, across the country.
A spot visit to different kitchen and fish markets in the city on Monday, the FE correspondent found that medium-sized hilsa (700-900 gram) is sold at Tk 730-800 per kg at retail level, which was Tk 800-900 per kg before the ban.
Hilsa, sized 1,500 gram, is sold at Tk 1,200-1,300 per kg at wholesale level, which was Tk 1,500-1,600 before the ban, while hilsa, sized Tk 1,200-1,300 gram, is now sold at Tk 1,000 per kg, which was Tk 1,100.
S M Abul Kalam, a proprietor of Brothers Motsho Bhander in Jatrabari wholesale fish market, said there is a supply shortage of big- and medium-sized hilsa, as the mother fishes go to the sea after laying eggs.
The supply would reach the expected level in mid-December, he noted.
Abdur Rahim, a fish trader in Karwan Bazar fish market, said the hilsa supply has been still inadequate so far, and the customers are rarely coming to buy the fish.
The supply of hilsa might reduce in the next few days due to its inadequate demand, he added.
Hari Das, proprietor at Porom Enterprise in Jatrabari wholesale fish market, said hilsa is available in both the wholesale and retail markets in the capital now amid some supply shortage.
Admitting the falling trend in sale of the national fish, he pointed out that customers are now buying the fish at comparatively reduced prices.
Bangladesh is the world's largest hilsa grower with about 86 per cent production share. Hilsa contributes more than 11 per cent of the total fish production here.
The country earned US$13.6 million from exporting 1,352 tonnes of hilsa to India so far this year, Fisheries and Livestock Minister S M Rezaul Karim said at a function on October 6.
Hilsa production doubled in the last 12 years, he added.
According to the fisheries department, the country's hilsa conservation programme, taken one and a half decade ago, helps to attain more than 90 per cent growth in production during the period.
Under the programme, fishing remains banned in six major sanctuaries across the country during the breeding and growing periods of hilsa.
