Hilsa price rises to 4200 per kg in India

Amita Mukherjee, a resident of upscale Ballygunge in Kolkata, recently purchased a massive Hilsa fish for a steep price of Rs 3,500. "What can I do? My family craves crispy Hilsa fries with Khichdi during this rainy season. As Bengalis, it's a culinary tradition we must follow, but the cost is becoming unbearable," Mukherjee laments. With the interim government in Bangladesh halting the export of Hilsa from the Padma River to India, fish vendors are either resorting to illegal imports or selling the limited frozen supply at exorbitant prices to meet the high festive demand. In the National Capital, Bangladeshi Hilsa is being sold at Rs 3,000 per kilogram, prompting restaurant owners to consider raising prices on their festive menus, leaving customers to bear the brunt. A fish seller at Delhi's CR Park Market 1, who wished to remain anonymous, admitted that he and others are sourcing Hilsa illegally and selling it at Rs 3,000 per kilogram. "With Durga Puja around the corner, Bengali customers are eager for Hilsa. We have to meet their needs," he explained.