Kolkata: The first consignment of Bangladesh's 'Padma Hilsa,' weighing around 45-50 tonnes, arrived in West Bengal on Friday morning, marking a much-anticipated import ahead of the Durga Puja festivities. The Bangladeshi interim government plans to export a total of 2,420 tonnes of Hilsa to India, with all shipments expected to arrive by October 12. Currently, the wholesale rate for Hilsa fish at the Howrah wholesale fish market is priced between Rs 1,400 to Rs 1,600 per kilogram. Known for its superior taste, the Hilsa crossed the Petrapole-Benapole border and reached the Howrah market, where it will be distributed to various retail markets in and around Kolkata.

Since July 2012, Bangladesh had imposed a ban on the export of Hilsa but has granted special permissions for exports to India during Durga Puja since 2019. Syed Anwar Maqsood, Secretary of the Howrah Wholesale Fish Market Association, stated, "Like every year, we wrote a letter to the Bangladesh Interim Government asking them to provide us with Hilsa for the occasion of Puja. However, due to some internal issues, there was a delay. But it is better late than never; yesterday, the consignment landed in Petrapole."

Maqsood continued, "The first consignment of 45 to 50 metric tonnes of Hilsa has entered India and West Bengal from the border station. This consignment is being sold in the Howrah, Patipukur, Sealdah, and Siliguri fish markets since this morning and has already been distributed to different markets from here."

He noted the enthusiasm surrounding the Padma Hilsa, stating, "People here have a different enthusiasm for the Padma Hilsa of Bangladesh. They hope that the price of Hilsa will come down, but the price is a little high because there is less fish available in Bangladesh, which is driving prices up. The small Hilsa of 700 to 800 grams is being sold for Rs 900 to Rs 1,000, while the one-kilo size is being sold for Rs 1,400 to Rs 1,500."

Maqsood also emphasized the urgency of receiving the fish before Bangladesh's fishing ban, which starts on October 13 and lasts for 22 days. "There is always a demand for Hilsa, and we have our local share in Bengal too. But the share of Padma Hilsa from Bangladesh is different. People are crazy about it," he explained. Regarding logistics, he mentioned, "We handle wholesale shipments. We have different suppliers here who buy the fish and send Hilsa to states where there is demand, such as Bangalore, Hyderabad, and Delhi."

Maqsood expressed gratitude to the Bangladeshi interim government and encouraged everyone to enjoy Hilsa during the festive season. "I would tell everyone to please enjoy Hilsa, especially during Durga Puja. We hope to request the Bangladesh government to relax the ban so that we can continue supplying Hilsa to consumers throughout the year," he added.

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