The price of hilsa continues to soar in local markets, despite a government ban on exports to India this year.

Fishermen and traders attribute the high prices to a scarcity of fish in the sea, increased fishing costs, and rough weather conditions.

According to fisheries officials, fishermen in Bangladesh catch an average of 5.5 to 6 lakh tonnes of hilsa annually.

This supply comes from two sources: the Bay of Bengal and rivers, with about 60 percent of the total haul coming from the sea.

However, this year, fishermen are struggling to catch adequate amounts of hilsa in the sea, leading to a low supply and driving up prices.

In previous years, the government allowed the export of 3,000 to 5,000 tonnes of hilsa annually around Durga Puja, said Nripendra Nath Biswas, deputy director of the Barishal Divisional Fisheries Office.

"But considering the scarcity of fish in the country, the government has decided to impose a ban on hilsa exports this year," he told The Daily Star.

Fishermen and traders attribute the high prices to a scarcity of fish in the sea, increased fishing costs, and rough weather conditions.

At the Port Road Hilsa Market in Barishal, the largest wholesale market for hilsa in the country, prices vary depending on size.

A hilsa weighing around 1.5 kilogrammes is selling for about Tk 1,800, while a 1.2-kilogramme fish is priced at Tk 1,600, and a one-kilogramme hilsa at Tk 1,500. These prices are Tk 150 to Tk 200 higher than last year, according to traders.

"We are facing huge demand for hilsa, with orders from major cities like Dhaka, Chattogram, Rajshahi, Khulna, and Sylhet. However, the supply is inadequate, which is why the prices are so high this year," said Shahidul Islam, a trader at Port Road Hilsa Market.

Fishermen cite poor catches as the main factor behind the price increase.

"In the last three months, we attempted to go to the sea five times, but we had to turn back due to rough weather," said Hossain Miah, a fisherman from Bhola Sadar upazila.

Jahangir Hossain, a fisherman from Bakerganj upazila, said, "Normally, a five-day fishing trip in the sea costs around Tk 20,000 for a crew of four, but last year, it only cost Tk 15,000 to Tk 16,000."

Meanwhile, similar situation was seen in Bagerhat markets as well.

The Bangladesh Fisheries Development Corporation, which manages fish harbours, cold storage, auction houses, and transportation, reported that 152 tonnes of hilsa were traded in the 2023-2024 fiscal year.

However, only 25 tonnes have been traded so far in the current fiscal year, according to Shariful Islam, manager of the BFDC in Mohipur.

Fisheries officials said 5.85 lakh tonnes of hilsa were caught in Bangladesh in the 2023-2024 fiscal year.

However, they have yet to gather statistics for the current year, as only two months have passed since the fiscal year began in July.

Officials are hopeful that prices may drop in the coming weeks as more hilsa becomes available in the sea.