‘No plan to control Hilsa price’

State Minister for Fisheries and Livestock Ashraf Ali Khan Khasru ruled out any measure to control price of Hilsa fish in the local market.

"There is no scope (for price control) in the open market economy," he said in reply to a question by journalists about controlling the Hilsa price in Bangladesh's domestic market, reports UNB.

Earlier, the government announced a 22-day ban on catching, selling, storing and transporting Hilsa effective from Wednesday (Oct 9) to ensure safe spawning of the delicious fish during its peak breeding period.

"During this breeding period, the mother Hilsa spawns around 80 per cent eggs in the sweet river water and the ban will be imposed in the coastal areas, river estuary and in the districts where Hilsa is available across the country,' he told the journalists at a press briefing on the 'Mother Hilsa Conservation Drive 2019' at the Secretariat in the city.

In the wholesale market Hilsa is being sold at Tk 300 per kilogram (kg) and the fishermen are happy to sell their Hilsa fish at the landing stations, he mentioned.

Replying to another question, Khasru said currently over 0.51 million (5.17 lakh) metric tonnes of Hilsa are being produced in the country.