3,000 tonnes of hilsa export to India okayed

The government has approved conditional export of 3,000 tonnes of hilsa to India citing the upcoming Durga Puja.

Exporters who requested the permits have been advised to contact the relevant wing of the ministry to obtain permissions by September 24 noon, read a statement of the commerce ministry yesterday.

The interim government earlier decided against exporting hilsa to India to improve domestic supply.

In the statement, the commerce ministry cited a foreign ministry letter seeking approval for exports.

Usually, the decision of hilsa export is conveyed to the commerce ministry by the fisheries and livestock ministry.

Advisers for fisheries and livestock and the commerce ministries could not be reached for comments.

Adviser to fisheries and livestock ministry Farida Akhtar over the last few days said the government will not allow hilsa export to India so that the local consumers get ample supply.

The demand for Bangladeshi hilsa is high in India, especially in West Bengal, during Durga Puja.

Usually, the government allows export of hilsa to India as a friendship gesture during the puja.

Kazi Belayet Hossain, president of the Bangladesh Frozen Foods Exporters Association (BFFEA), said he received a letter yesterday from the commerce ministry for dissemination among BFFEA members for seeking export permission.

Hilsa export has been banned for many years but every year the government relaxes the ban during the puja on request of the Indian government, Hossain said adding perhaps this time too the government agreed to allow permission because of the diplomatic efforts between the two countries.

But, there is a possibility of price hike of hilsa in the local markets as the exporters will start procuring hilsa from the markets for exporting to India, Belayet said.

Last week, a senior official of the commerce ministry said they received nearly 50 letters seeking export permission.

India's Fish Importers Association yesterday termed the move a "positive development", reports our New Delhi correspondent.

The association's Secretary Syed Anwar Maqsood said, "We are happy that our efforts with the interim government of Bangladesh to bring hilsa bore fruit."

In fiscal 2023-24, Bangladesh exported 664.86 tonnes of hilsa to India for $7.71 million, according to data from the Department of Fisheries.

In fiscal 2022-23, Bangladesh exported 1,376.42 tonnes of hilsa worth $13.68 million. That year, Bangladesh produced 5,71,342 tonnes of hilsa.