The Bangladeshi hilsa is dearer this year. A Telegraph picture

A hilsa feast for the son-in-law is going to cost more this year. But, for once, inflation is not to blame.

A price bar introduced by the Bangladesh government has translated into a hike of Rs 50-75 per kg in the retail rate of hilsa across the border.

“In an order in April, the Bangladesh government fixed the minimum price of hilsa at $6 per kg. The actual price could be more, depending on the demand,” said Syed Anwar Maqsood, the secretary of the Fish Importers’ Association in Calcutta. The association is yet to receive a written intimation. The impact of the bar, however, can already be felt. “Earlier, the demand determined how much we paid for Bangladeshi hilsa. The bar is going to increase the cost to the consumer,” added Maqsood.

On Saturday, the price of hilsa in the Howrah wholesale market fluctuated between Rs 260 and Rs 280. The consumers are shelling out much more. “I sold the fish at Rs 325 this morning,” said Atanu Das, a vendor in Lake Market.

For the past few years, the Bangladesh government is trying to control the export of hilsa to India. Hilsa supply from Bangladesh dried up during peak season last year after a ban on export. The reason cited by the government was shortage of the fish in Bangladesh. Bangladeshis were reportedly paying more for the fish than Calcuttans. As a result, in West Bengal, consumers had to be satisfied with the local variety of the fish, which does not taste quite as good.

The export bar was lifted on January 9 this year. Since then, there has been steady supply of the fish to the Calcutta market. During peak season, more than 35 metric tonnes of hilsa are exported daily from places like Barisal, Chandpur and Patharghata in Bangladesh to the wholesale markets in Howrah and Sealdah. The number doubles on weekends and during Bengali festivals.