Experts say four to six price hikes for each hilsa, with 60% increase at each transaction

A study reveals that the price of hilsa increases significantly due to multiple handovers before reaching consumers

The price of hilsa increases by about 60 percent at each transaction, with the fish being handed over four to six times before reaching the consumer, according to the Bangladesh Trade and Tariff Commission (BTTC).

The commission’s survey also revealed that the cost of fishing hilsa has increased, with fishermen now spending Tk 487 per kg to catch the fish.

As a result, the price of hilsa in the market has surged by Tk 200 to Tk 1,000 per kg compared with last year, the agency said.

The commission recommended that the retail price of hilsa be determined based on the fish’s size and weight. The survey report, released on Sunday, was submitted to the government on Thursday.

Several factors contributing to the price increase were identified in the report, including the practice of buying hilsa at low prices during the peak season and keeping them in cold storage for later sale at higher prices. The commission blamed the middlemen for this practice.

Despite a ban on hilsa export, processed ones continue to be exported, further increasing the domestic market shortage. To investigate the rising prices and evaluate the supply chain, the commission conducted the survey, which examined collection, storage costs, government support policies, and export pricing.

According to the report, the amount of hilsa in the river mouth has decreased by two-thirds compared with last year, and hilsa collection from the deep sea has also dropped. As a result, despite no change in trawler expenses, the average cost of collecting hilsa has increased.

The survey revealed that hilsa passes through multiple stages -- fishermen, fish landing docks, middlemen, wholesalers, and retailers -- before reaching consumers, with a price increase of 59-60 percent at each handover.

The survey on the August hilsa market indicated that fish weighing 250g to 450g was sold for Tk 700 to Tk 850 per kg, while hilsa weighing 500g to 750g ranged from Tk 1,200 to Tk 1,400. Hilsa over 1.5kg was priced between Tk 2,500 and Tk 3,000 per kg.

According to the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB), hilsa prices in Dhaka on Sunday ranged from Tk 900 to Tk 2,200 per kg, depending on size, with these prices having remained stable for over a week.