Another 150-200 tonnes of hilsa is expected to be exported to Bangladesh from India over the next few weeks, they said.
The exports come amid reports of lower hilsa production in Bangladesh this year, prompting its fish traders to turn to India to meet the domestic demand for the popular fish.
The consignments have been sourced mainly from Gujarat and shipped through Bharuch port, while some supplies have been routed through the Howrah wholesale fish market in West Bengal, the traders said.
“Bangladesh has been importing hilsa from India for the first time. We usually send fish such as boal, rohu, parse and tangra to Bangladesh. This year there is a shortage of hilsa there,” said Syed Anwar Maqsood, secretary of the Howrah Wholesale Fish Importers’ Association.
“In the last two months, some 500 tonnes have been exported, and another 150-200 tonnes are slated in the coming weeks,” the association official said.
Hilsa from Gujarat has relatively limited demand in the Indian market because of its high egg (roe) content. However, this characteristic makes it particularly attractive to Bangladeshi buyers, especially in Chattogram and Sylhet, where roe-filled hilsa is in high demand.”Gujarat hilsa contains a lot of roe, which is highly sought after in Bangladesh. The eggs are also being sold separately for processing and re-exported to other countries by them,” Maqsood said.
Bangladeshi traders are also processing some of the imported hilsa for export to overseas markets, while the fish is being dried and sold as salted hilsa in the country’s domestic market, he said.
Bangladesh is traditionally one of the world’s largest hilsa-producing countries, accounting for a major share of global production. The fish is also an important part of Bengali culinary and cultural traditions on both sides of the border.
India has, in recent years, received hilsa consignments from Bangladesh ahead of Durga Puja. Till now, there is no clarity on Padma river hilsa exports to India by Bangladesh this festive season.
Last year, the Bangladesh government had permitted the export of 1,200 tonnes of hilsa to India ahead of the festive season.
The latest movement marks a reversal of the traditional trade flow, with India exporting hilsa to Bangladesh to help bridge a domestic supply gap.