Kolkata: Bangladesh Hilsa is expected to reach the Kolkata market in the middle of September after an association of fish importers from Kolkata appealed to the deputy high commissioner of Bangladesh to offer 60 days to import the Hilsa.
Bangladesh usually offers Bengal 20-30 days time to import Hilsa.
The fish importers
want Bangladesh to lift the export ban on Hilsa to India. The association in its recent letter to Andalib Elias, the deputy high commissioner in Kolkata said that last September Bangladesh had gifted 2,900 tonnes of Hilsa to Bengal ahead of Durga Puja but only 1,300 tonnes could
be sent within the specified time.
The deputy high commissioner has been urged to give sufficient time so that the huge quantity of Hilsa can be imported. The usual time frame of 20-30 days offered by Bangladesh is not enough to import the huge quantity of fish.
Bangladesh has been giving Hilsa to Bengal every Puja since 2019 when it started with an export clearance of 500 tonnes of Hilsa. Hilsa lovers across Bengal wait for the gift from Bangladesh, particularly ahead of the Pujas.