September 8, 2025

KOLKATA: Get ready, fish lovers! More than 300 tonnes of fresh, juicy hilsa caught between June and early August are locked away in cold storage, waiting to splash onto Kolkata markets right after Vishwa Karma Puja on September 17. This clever move guarantees plenty of hilsa during the Durga Puja frenzy, when demand and prices spike like fireworks! These prized hilsa are no small fry—they weigh over 850 grams each. Earlier this year, hilsa from Odisha, Gujarat, and even Myanmar flooded the market. Fish weighing 1.2 to 1.4 kg sold for Rs 1,200 to 1,400 per kg. A Howrah wholesale market trader explained, “Introducing the local catch from Diamond Harbour would have pushed down prices further. It would have meant a lost opportunity as hilsa netted locally along with the variety from Bangladesh sells for Rs 1,800-Rs 2,500 per kg depending on size.” Right now, fresh local hilsa around 1 kg fetch Rs 1,800 to Rs 2,200 per kg. Prices may shoot up during Durga Puja. Myanmar hilsa is a bit cheaper at Rs 1,500 per kg, likely to rise to Rs 1,700. There's also a flood of smaller hilsa weighing 500 grams or less, priced affordably at Rs 550-600 per kg. Local fisherman Tarapada Das shares, “The sea is now full of small hilsa, and these are being caught in large quantities.” Why do people love these smaller hilsa so much? Sundarbans Marine Fishermen’s Union Secretary Satinath Patra says they are affordable and popular, especially during the Vishwa Karma Puja or ‘Ranna Puja’. Usually, the bigger, premium hilsa during Durga Puja comes from Bangladesh. Former Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina had allowed limited hilsa exports to India before the festival as a kind gesture. Last year, despite political uncertainties, the Md Younus-led government approved the export of 2,420 tonnes of hilsa before Durga Puja. Around 577 tonnes reached India. Bangladesh Fish Importers’ Association Secretary Syed Anwar Maqsood is hopeful the same will happen this year. He wrote to Bangladesh's foreign affairs adviser Touhid Hossain requesting permission to export hilsa to India ahead of Durga Puja but awaits a reply. “Relations between India and Bangladesh may be at an all-time low but Durga Puja is a great season to reset ties and hilsa diplomacy is a great way to break the ice,” he said. However, some traders doubt hilsa from Bangladesh will arrive this year. India recently banned the entry of Bangladeshi goods via Petrapole and export through Kolkata airport. These traders are pinning hopes on the local catch from Diamond Harbour to satisfy the festive cravings. Debashis Shyamal, secretary of Diamond Harbour fishermen’s forum, claims hoarding hilsa is just to make higher profits. “Unless the hoarding stops, people will become reliant on the more affordable variety from Gujarat and Myanmar,” he warned. So, will the Hilsa diplomacy bloom again this year, or will local fish rule the Durga Puja feast? Fish fans can only wait and watch as the festival tastes get richer and prices rise like never before!

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Tags: Hilsa fish, Durga puja, Fishermen, Bangladesh imports, Seafood prices, Vishwa karma puja,