Hilsa from Mumbai has flooded the Odisha markets as it is cheaper than the hilsa coming from Diamond Harbour, Howrah in Bengal or the ones caught locally in Balasore and some other parts of Odisha.
Local trader Gauri Khan said: “There is a craze for hilsa fish during rainy season. We are unable to cater to customer demands due to a short supply of hilsa. The hilsa from Mumbai has flooded the market. It is cheaper compared to the hilsa coming from Balasore. The hilsa from Paradip is yet to come.”
“There are customers who prefer to buy Padma hilsa because of its brand value and taste. Its size is bigger than that of the local hilsa. The Padma hilsa used to come from Bangladesh through the Calcutta market. But the supply has almost stopped. Now, we are selling hilsa coming from Balasore, Howrah and Mumbai. But the hilsa of Odisha and Bengal has its own taste,” Khan said.
Explaining the difference, Khan said: “While the hilsa coming from Bengal and Odisha coasts are oily and tasty, the hilsa from the sea off the Mumbai coast is not like that. It is comparatively cheaper. So there is a demand in the market. But the foodies who prefer hilsa are demanding Padma hilsa. However, considering its price, we are not importing it.”
Another trader, Kailash Behera, said: “I am not keeping Padma hilsa, people cannot afford it.”
Many other fish traders said that a few traders cheat people by branding local hilsa as Padma hilsa. “Those who have less idea about fish get cheated,” said Behera.
Not only Gauri Khan and Behera, but other traders also pointed out that even though the monsoon is about to end, the price of the local hilsa has not reduced below ₹500. Fishermen catch abundant hilsa at the confluence of the Mahanadi and the Bay of Bengal during the monsoon, particularly when rain takes place because of the formation of low pressure. “But during this monsoon, the flood-like situation has resulted in the low catch of hilsa,” said a fisherman.
The local hilsa procured from Balasore, Kendrapara, Paradip and Jagatsingpur was sold at ₹1,000 to ₹1,200 per kg. “The Mumbai hilsa are cheaper and I am taking it,” said a customer Ghanashyam Khatua, a retried govt employee,
A senior official of the fishery department said: “There has been rain near the coastal belt for the last month due to low pressure. The boats are not allowed to go to sea. That’s one of the reasons for the low catch of hilsa...”
Former additional director of fisheries Janaki Ballav Dash told The Telegraph:
“Variation of temperature due to climate change and government machinery to prevent fishermen from catching the young fish has resulted in the drop in the catch of hilsa over the years. We need to bring an amendment to the Odisha Marine Fishing Regulation Act to this effect. No fish below 500 grammes should be caught, and if they are caught, they should be released.”