NEW DELHI: In a striking reversal of the traditional hilsa trade between the two neighbouring countries, Bangladesh has imported around 500 tonnes of hilsa from India over the past two months, fish traders said, as declining domestic production pushes Bangladeshi buyers towards Indian markets.
The development marks the first reported instance of hilsa being exported from India to Bangladesh, despite the fish being deeply associated with Bengali cuisine and traditionally flowing from Bangladesh to India, particularly during the festive season.
Further 200 tonnes of hilsa could be exported from India as per reports in Bangladesh media, amid expectations of sustained demand in the Bangladeshi market.
The imports come at a time when reports of lower hilsa production in Bangladesh have raised concerns over domestic availability of the popular fish. Bangladeshi fish traders are consequently looking towards India to meet demand, particularly in markets where hilsa remains an important part of Bengali food culture.
According to traders, most of the consignments have been sourced from Gujarat and shipped through Bharuch port, while some supplies have also moved through the wholesale fish market in Howrah, West Bengal.
Interestingly, the fish being shipped to Bangladesh is largely Gujarat hilsa, whose demand is comparatively lower in the Indian market because of its high roe content, traders said.
That characteristic, however, has made Gujarat hilsa particularly attractive to Bangladeshi buyers, especially in Chattogram and Sylhet, where roe-bearing hilsa is in demand.
Some of the imported hilsa is also being processed by Bangladeshi traders for export to overseas markets, according to the traders. A portion is being dried and sold in the domestic market as shutki, or dried salted hilsa.
It remains unclear, however, whether Bangladesh will permit hilsa exports to India during the upcoming festive season.
Last year, ahead of the festive period, the Bangladesh government had permitted the export of 1,200 tonnes of hilsa to India.
Gujarat’s hilsa comes mainly from the Narmada estuary, where the river meets Arabian Sea. During the monsoon and post-monsoon breeding season—especially from July to November—adult hilsa swim in from coastal waters and move upstream because they are anadromous fish, meaning they live and grow largely in the sea but return to freshwater to reproduce.
The river’s flowing freshwater, suitable temperature, nutrients and sediment-rich spawning grounds create favourable conditions for laying eggs. After spawning, the adult fish and young fry gradually move back towards the estuary and sea, where the juveniles mature before returning to the river during the next breeding cycle.
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