Bangladesh's curb: Demand for Gujarat hilsa shoots up in West Bengal

With the Bangladesh government restricting hilsa fish exports to India, a significant decline from previous years, the demand for ‘Bombay Hilsa’ fish from Gujarat is shooting up in West Bengal ahead of the Durga Puja celebrations. Over 30 tonne of hilsa from Gujarat is ready to be sent to West Bengal ahead of the state's biggest festive season. 

Not surprisingly, fisherfolk of Bhadbhut village in the Bharuch district of Gujarat are busy these days. The coastal village lies along the port of Dahej where the Narmada river discharges into the Gulf of Khambhat through a broad 80-km estuary. The livelihood of fishermen of the area has been dependent primarily on Hilsa, which is found only along the estuary in the state.

Also read: Hilsa: A fish caught in the barbed-wire fence

Hilsa prices shoot up

“In Gujarat, we call it Modar, but it’s called Bombay hilsa among fish traders who usually sell around Rs 800 to Rs 1,000 per kg. The Bombay Hilsa is saltier than the hilsa found in Padma and Ganga (Bangladesh and West Bengal). They weigh more than the hilsa breed in Ganga or Padma but are cheaper as they say the fish doesn’t taste as good as the other two varieties,” Kamlesh Madhiwala, president of Samast Bharuch Machimar Samiti, a fishermen rights organization, in Bharuch district, told The Federal.

“There are two fishing seasons for the Narmada estuary, the first is between June and October, and the second is between January and March. Although the average hilsa catch has been on the decline since 1994 after the construction of Sardar Sarovar Dam, we have managed to catch around 400 tonne of hilsa so far this year,” he said.

“The price of local hilsa caught from Ganga has shot up sharply across Kolkata after Bangladesh announced the ban on the export of Padma Hilsa to India. Though, Bangladesh government has now agreed to export the fish, the quantity is much less than the usual demand during this time of the year. We have received orders of around 30 tonne so far from Kolkata fish wholesalers who now feel that Bangladesh hilsa and local variety cannot match the demand ahead of Durga Puja,” said Madhiwala.

Interestingly,hilsa from Gujarat is mainly exported to the US and European nations, but this year there has been considerable demand from West Bengal because of the politivsl crisis and subsequent developments.

Demand up with monsoon

“Usually, we sell around 10 tonne of our catch to Kolkata and the rest is exported. However, since early June this year, the demand for Bombay hilsa has increased with the onset of monsoon. Prices this year have shot up to around Rs 1,200 to Rs 1,500 per kg. Last year, hilsa worth Rs 1,000-Rs 1,200 crore was traded in Bharuch. Fishing families earned between Rs 5 lakh and Rs 15 lakh. This year we are hoping to surpass last year’s income,” he added.

Notably, Bangladesh, the world’s largest hilsa producer, restricted the export this year. The country, which usually exports 3,000-5,000 tonne of hilsa annually, has approved a special permit for the shipment of 2,420 tonne of hilsa to India between September 26 and October 12. In 2023, around 3,950 tonne of hilsa had been sent to India just before the Durga Puja festival alone.

Also read: Bangladesh bans export of Padma hilsa to India, prices zoom before Durga Puja

Narmada, the fifth largest river in the country, flows 50 km along the Bharuch district before reaching the Arabian Sea. The sweet water of Narmada meets the saline water of the Arabian Sea at the Gulf of Khambhat. This 80-km-wide area of brackish water in the estuary is the breeding ground of hilsa in Gujarat.

“The fish come here to spawn during the four months of the southwest monsoon. This period is the busiest for local anglers. The tide brings in a huge catch whose earnings sustain the fishermen for the whole year. Everyone along the estuary – women, farmers, drivers, fishmongers, packers and others are involved in the fish business during this time of the year. The local community’s income primarily depends on hilsa,” said Surat-based environmentalist MSH Sheikh.