'Chokori', a variety of imported fish is being marketed in Bangladesh in the name of Chandana hilsa. Supply of the fish has marked a significant rise in the market ahead of Pahela Boishakh.
A section of importers has been importing the fish which resembles hilsa from different countries. But its taste is different from that of the local hilsa.
The fish is small in size. Four or five pieces of this fish make a kilogram that normally costs around Tk 300 to Tk 400 but ahead of Pahela Boishakh the price has gone up.
Md Golam Sarwar Khan, an importer of Chokori fish said the fish resembles hilsa. The import of this kind of fishes started in 2010.
"As the prices of local hilsa gos beyond the buying capacity of poor people that is why businesses began import of 'Chokori' fishes. At the beginning, nearly four to five containers of fishes used to be imported a month but now around 100 containers of Chokori fishes enter into Bangladesh a month."
"Most of the buyers are not aware about the fishes and buying it in the name of Chandana hilsa. The fish looks like hilsa but the taste is different. The fishes are described as hilsa to poor people."
He said the Chokori fish import increased ahead of Pahela Boishakh as we have a tradition to celebrate the day with 'pantha Elish'.
These fishes are mainly imported from Yemen, Dubai, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Vietnam and Myanmar. Among these the size of Myanmar Chandana hilsa is comparatively bigger than that of the other imported Chokori.
Around 13,000 tonnes of Chokori fishes were imported in Bangladesh from July to March this fiscal year (FY 2013-14), according to data of Chittagong Customs House.
According to the importers, 200 containers of Chokori have been imported ahead of Pahela Boishakh to meet the growing hilsa demand.
The price of per kg imported Chokori is 80 cent to 85 cent, but it is under invoiced to 30 cent to avoid taxation. These fishes are imported at cheaper rate but it is selling at high price ahead of Pahela Boishakh.
Bangladesh Frozen Foods Exporters Association Vice President Ashraf Hossain Masud said: "This is not the season of the hilsa. The main season is September to November. We have sent our 10 trawlers for catching hilsa."
"To catch the market ahead of Pahela Boishakh I have sent trawlers to sea but the fishermen do not get hilsha fishes, but I have heard that in last seven days those who went to sea to catch hilsha they have caught a few quantity of hilsha."
"So a few quantity of fish is local hilsha but the markets are flooded with the imported Chokori fishes," Mr Masud said.
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