Today, the Ministry of Commerce announced this in a press release. The approval for hilsa fish exports will be in effect until October 30th. In simpler terms, companies have until that date to send their hilsa shipments to India.

The Ministry has set out eight conditions for hilsa exports. Some of the important ones include customs authorities inspecting the products allowed for export, the requirement to submit all export documents to the Ministry of Commerce after each shipment, not exceeding the allowed quantity for export, and not transferring the export permit to others. Additionally, hilsa cannot be exported through subcontracting unless an approved exporter is involved.

Traders in Calcutta, India, had expressed a demand for 5,000 tons of hilsa fish for Durga Puja. On September 1st, the Calcutta Fish Importers Association submitted this request to the Bangladesh Sub-High Commission in Calcutta, and it reached the Ministry of Commerce on September 4th.

According to sources within the Ministry of Commerce, in the previous year, 2,900 tons of hilsa were allowed for export during the Puja season, but only 1,300 tons were actually exported. This trend of exports falling short of the approved quantity has been observed in previous years as well, with exports consistently being 30 to 40 percent less than the permitted amount.

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The Commerce Ministry is currently evaluating numerous requests and is on the verge of granting approvals following a comprehensive review, according to Mirajul Islam, the joint secretary of the ministry’s export division. He stressed the thorough scrutiny of applications, with a preference for those who received export permissions in the previous year or those who were unable to export altogether.

While Hilsa is also found in neighboring countries such as India, Myanmar, Pakistan, Iran, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand, Bangladeshi Hilsa stands out for its superior taste and flavor.

In anticipation of the upcoming “Durga Puja” festival of West Bengal in October, around 30 applications for Hilsa exports have been submitted to the Commerce Ministry. In the previous year, 67 traders were granted permission to export a total of 3,350 tons of Hilsa in two phases, each phase involving the export of 50 tons to India. This year, a significant number of businesses have applied for permission to export 100 tons each.

In the last fiscal year, these 67 companies were authorized by the Commerce Ministry to export 3,350 tons of Hilsa. However, the actual exports amounted to only 1,352 tons, generating approximately US $13.26 million (Tk 131.53 crore), as reported by the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB).

During the fiscal year 2021-22, more than 200 businesses sought Hilsa export permits, and the ministry granted permission to 115 exporters for a total of 4,600 tons. Nonetheless, actual exports were limited to just 1,108 tons and 280 kg due to supply shortages, resulting in earnings of about US $12.26 million (Tk 105.87 crore).

In the fiscal year 2020-21, 1,450 tons of Hilsa were exported, with 18 companies securing export permission. An additional 400 tons were subsequently exported, contributing to total earnings of approximately US $16.43 million (Tk 139 crore).

In FY 2019-20, Bangladesh allowed the export of 500 tons of Hilsa, with only one business obtaining export permission. According to EPB data, the country earned around US $16.19 million (Tk 137.32 crore) from Hilsa exports during that financial year.

Members of the Bangladesh Frozen Food Exporters Association and various exporters have pointed out that many recipients of Hilsa export permissions in recent years were not genuine fish exporters. Out of the 57 establishments approved last year, only 4 were regular fish exporters. Despite receiving governmental approval, most trading companies encountered challenges in exporting Hilsa promptly.

Simultaneous exports to the Indian market also resulted in lower prices. Indian importers mostly use LCs (letters of credit) for fish imports but delay settling them, causing delays in payments for Hilsa sales. This payment delay caused several exporters to fall short of completing their exports despite having permission.

Over the past decade, Hilsa production in the country has nearly doubled, surging from 298,000 tons in 2008-09 to 565,000 tons in FY 2020-21.

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