Hilsa production has increased by 92% to 5.71 lakh tonne in the last 15 years, said Fisheries and Livestock Minister SM Rezaul Karim. “The production of hilsa has increased drastically due to the implementation of coordinated programmes by the government targeted toward the development of hilsa resources,” said the fisheries minister during a press conference at the Secretariat on Wednesday (11 October). During the financial year 2002-03, the production of hilsa had decreased alarmingly to 1.99 metric tonnes. In the fiscal year 2008-09, the amount of hilsa procured increased to 2.98 lakh tonne.
“With the planning and management adopted by the present government, hilsa production has increased to 5.71 lakh tonne in 2022-23 fiscal year. Which means, hilsa production has increased by about 92% in the last 15 years,” said the minister. Meanwhile, mother hilsa will be collected from 12 October to 2 November, so a fishing ban will be in effect during this period.
During these 22 days, catching, transporting, marketing, buying and selling, and stockpiling hilsa will be prohibited across the country. “Surveillance will be done on water, land and air so that no one can catch hilsa illegally,” said the minister. The minister said that strict action will be taken against those who do not obey the law imposed for hilsa conservation. Cases will be filed while conducting mobile courts, additional law enforcement officers will be deployed in various estuaries as well, said the minister.
He also said, Vulnerable Group Feeding (VGF) assistance will be provided to those who refrain from hilsa fishing during this period. Assistances have already reached the upazila level, he added. Due to the successful implementation of mother hilsa conservation campaign, about 52% of mother hilsa eggs were able to lay eggs within the 22 days fishing ban last year. As a result, about 8 lakh 5 thousand 515 kg of eggs were produced last year, from which about 40 thousand 276 crore jatkas were added to the hilsa population.
Hilsa export
“Hilsa is not only our national wealth, Hilsa has now become a part of diplomacy. Hilsa is exported on a limited extent during Durga Puja to our neighboring country India, which is playing a helpful role in developing the commercial and diplomatic relations between the two countries,” said minister Rezaul Karim.
From 2019-20 to 2022-23 fiscal year, 5,541 metric tonne hilsa was exported to India, which is less than 0.5% of the total hilsa production. This brought in export earnings of Tk439,000 crores. In the financial year 2023-24, the Ministry of Commerce has given approval for the export of 3,950 metric tonne hilsa to India, out of which 609 metric tonne of hilsa was exported to India on 10 October, which brought in export earnings of Tk68.2 crore.
The export price of hilsa in India is fixed at Tk1,100 per kg, but the price is higher in the domestic market. Asked whether a joint initiative can be taken with the Ministry of Commerce to reduce the price of hilsa, the minister said, “We are involved in the production process, and we do not think there is any failure.”