Interestingly the import of the hilsa fish coincides with the visit of the Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who arrived in New Delhi on Monday on a four-day visit. She is scheduled to hold talks with her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi on Tuesday following which the two sides are likely to unveil a raft of measures to boost cooperation in areas of defence, trade and river-water sharing.
The neighbouring country has granted permission to export 2,450 tonnes of the fish ahead of the Durga puja festival.
“Bangladesh has permitted export of hilsa yesterday for the current season. The first consignment is expected to hit the local markets in a day or two,” Fish Importers Association secretary Syed Anwar Maqsood said.
Benapol C&F Agents Staff Association secretary Sajidur Rahman also said that the consignment may each by Monday or Tuesday.
“The first consignment could be between 50-100 tonnes,” he said.
Last year, only 1,200 tonnes of hilsa could be imported in India despite permission to export a total of 4,600 tonnes of “silver crop” due to only a fortnight-long window , Maqsood said.
“We have requested Bangladesh to increase the export window to 45 days,” he said.
The fish weighing between 700 grams and 1,200 grams is exported by Bangladesh.
The one-kilo-sized fish usually costs around Rs 1,200 per kg.