The interim government’s fisheries and livestock adviser, Farida Akhter, has made a statement on Bangladesh’s national fish, hilsa, that has stirred many of us.
On August 11, she emphasised fulfilling the local demand for hilsa before considering export. She also promised to take steps to reduce the fish's price.
Local fisheries experts have appreciated the adviser’s intention to make the fish more accessible to local consumers.
However, they remain skeptical about the plan to reduce hilsa prices in the local market.
Bangladesh government had banned hilsa exports in 2012.
However, former prime minister Sheikh Hasina relaxed the ban a few years ago, allowing the export of hilsa as token gifts to India ahead of the Hindu community’s biggest festival, Durga Puja.
If the Department of Fisheries strictly follows the adviser’s statement, India may not be permitted to import hilsa from Bangladesh this year.
Renowned hilsa researcher and former acting director general at the Fisheries Research Institute, Chandpur, Dr. Anisur Rahman, appreciated the interim government’s intention to make hilsa available to local consumers across various income groups.
“Hilsa is a national fish. Every citizen has the right to have a piece of hilsa on their plate. Ensuring its availability in the local market should be the priority,” Anisur told Bangladesh First.
However, the hilsa researcher was skeptical about any potential decrease in hilsa prices as a result of the export ban.
Hilsa (Tenualosa ilisha) is the largest single fish species in Bangladesh, contributing about 12.3% of the total fish production and more than 1.0% of the national GDP.
In the 2022-23 fiscal year, hilsa production was 5.71 lakh tonnes, a remarkable increase compared to 1.99 lakh tonnes in the 2002-03 fiscal year.
Currently, Bangladesh ranks first among 11 hilsa-producing countries in the world, accounting for about 80% of the world’s total hilsa production.
Hilsa from Bangladesh received the Geographical Indication (GI) certification on 17 August 2017.
According to the fisheries department, about Tk2,500-3,000 million was earned yearly until the hilsa export ban was imposed in 2012.
Previously, hilsa was mainly exported to India and a few Middle Eastern countries, with a negligible amount also exported to some Western and East Asian countries.
After a gap, the Bangladesh Government allowed hilsa exports to India during the 2019-20 fiscal year. By exporting only 500 tonnes of hilsa, Bangladesh earned $16.19 million that year.
In the next fiscal year, $16.43 million was earned from exporting hilsa to India.
Bangladesh earned $12.26 million from exporting 1,352 tonnes of hilsa to India in the 2021-22 fiscal year.
In the 2022-23 fiscal year, hilsa exports generated $13.22 million, according to official data.
WorldFish’s interim country (Bangladesh) representative, Binoy Kumar Barman, told Bangladesh First that prioritising local demand or export is a policy matter.
“Despite the huge demand for shrimp in the local market, Bangladesh exports the item to earn foreign currency. From the consumers’ perspective, the priority level of hilsa is the highest.
“It is up to the authorities to decide whether hilsa should be made available to local consumers or exported to earn foreign currency,” Binoy said, adding that the export ban wouldn’t significantly lower hilsa prices.
Hilsa researcher Anisur predicted that the price of hilsa in the local market may fall slightly, followed by increased supply, if the interim government bans hilsa exports.
“However, a fall in price would be temporary, because the availability of hilsa at a reduced price would increase its demand in the local market. And again, the increased demand would contribute to rising retail prices of hilsa,” Anisur said.
Although a significant income inequality exists in Bangladesh, the enhanced purchasing capacity of a certain group of people also contributes to the increasing price of hilsa, he reminded.
He urged the interim government to ensure market monitoring by controlling the illegal export of hilsa and the dominance of middlemen like hoarders and wholesalers, to make the fish available to all segments of the population.
