Hilsa, one of the dearest delicacies of gastronomic Bengal, has a different tale to tell when it comes to demonetisation. The crisis triggered by the currency ban has drained demand for the fish, pulling down its price to the 2010 levels, although cash-dry consumers can’t make the best of the windfall. At Nagendra Market in South Bengal’s Diamond Harbour, the largest wholesale fish market in the state, trade has plunged 70% in the past week, leading to a significant drop in the prices. A mid-sized hilsa costs Rs 125 a kg now at Diamond Harbour, compared with around Rs 300 it otherwise commands around this time of the year. Though prices have dropped, the fish isn’t available in plenty in the city retail markets where it costs around Rs 400. A supply snag has kept the prices in the city high, according to traders. At Namkhana fishing harbour, close to the Sundarbans, arrival of the fish has dropped as trawler owners cannot buy fish from fishermen because of currency shortage. The episode has left the hilsa enthusiasts sad. The fish will disappear within a couple of days as supply has dried up. They are insisting us to give the exact price for fish to avoid giving change,” said Milan Chakraborty, a regular at the Gariahat market. In the hilsa market, however, there is no palpable anguish. Most people ET spoke to -from fishermen to trawler operators and traders -has been affected at various degrees by the cash cash crunch but they supported the government move. The central government has said that the currency flow will increase from next week. And this should help us,” said Lalmohan Das, a trawler operator. Mojammal Khan, president of the South Sunderbans Fishermen and Fisheries Union, too admitted that the cash crunch has hit badly the fish economy, but the demonetisation move is good for the country as a whole”. It’s not hilsa alone. The supply of other fishes too is affected. Pomfret has become cheaper by half as there are no takers. Bombay duck (lote), which is sold in the wholesale market at Rs 20 a kg, is now available at Rs 5-7. Ice sellers, who thrive largely on the fish market, are too teetering on the brink. There are 14 ice mills in the Diamond Harbour area that provide ice blocks to fish traders. Utpal Pradhan, an employee of the Southern Central Fisheries Cooperative Society, said the price of ice block has dropped 25% in past week to Rs 120. Fishing is the major occupation in Sunderbans, Namkhana and Diamond Harbour area and the economy of the region rests on it. Wholesalers from Siliguri, Berhampore, Krishnanagar, Basirhat, Sealdah and Howrah come to the Nagendra fish market to buy fish and supply to local markets. Every day, at least 100-150 trucks each carrying 3 tonnes of fish from Namkhana offloads fish in the Diamond Harbour fish market. There are 72 commission agents working in the fish market and on average each of the commission agents handle business of Rs 35-50 lakh per day. More than 42,000 people are engaged in the trawler business, mostly in loading and unloading of fish,” said Khan, the union president. Golok Manna, whose 18 trawlers ply between Bay of Bengal and Namkhana fish harbour, is hoping for the situation to improve quickly.
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