Prices of a few varieties of fish increased significantly in the city and elsewhere in the country due to incoming Sharadyio Durga Puja, the major religious festival of the Hindu community, traders said.
Prices of Hilsa, Rui, Katla, Bighead, Mriegel, Boal, Shol, Golsha and Pabda witnessed the fresh hike, they said.
Hindus usually consume big fishes in four days of the festival as part of their tradition.
Hilsa was sold at Tk 1,200-1,600 (above 950 gm sized) per piece, Tk700-800 (850-900 gm) and Tk500-650 (600-750 gram) per piece in the capital---Tk100-300 increase in seven days.
Living Rui and Katla (big sized) were sold at Tk550-600 per kg while dead at Tk350-400 per kg in different markets in the city---Tk80-100 increase in seven days.
Golsha sold at Tk500-650 per kg (based on sizes) while Pabda purchased at Tk650-750 (small) and Tk800-900 (big) per kg---Tk100-150 hike in last seven days.
However, prices of most of other fish varieties were static for last two weeks.
Abdul Kader Bhuiyan, a fish trader at Showarighat fish wholesale, said that demand has soared ahead of the major two festivals, especially for the Puja.
"The government has imposed ban on fishing or trading of Hilsa which will come into effect from October 5 to 15; many of the traders at Hilsa zones are also stockpiling a good quantity of fish which caused the hike" he said.
However, the prices of Hilsa were much higher in Northern and North-Western cities, according to traders.
A Rangpur trader said prices of Hilsa (600-800 gram) were Tk650-750 per piece---Tk200 increase in the last ten days.
Ramzan Ali, a fish trader at Nilphamari Sadar Upazila said prices of fish usually increased before major festivals.
"This year Durga Puja and Eid are being observed in a close time, which pushed up demand," he said.
"Prices of fish including Rui, Katla, Mriegel, Bighead, Hilsa, Boail increased significantly in our area ahead of Puja"
"Our Dhaka and Chittagong parties reduced supply of big sized Hilsa, we are getting Hilsa highest 800 gram sized," he said.
According to the Department of Fisheries (DoF), the country's fish production reached all time high of 3.55 million tonnes in fiscal year (FY) 2013-14.
tonmoy.wardad@gmail.com
