The peak season for hilsa fishing is underway, but the price of the dazzling silver creature is still very high both at retail and wholesale markets in Barishal.

The price is now totally beyond the reach of the lower and middle classes, but they could usually eat it during the peak season due to its affordable price.

A one-kilogram hilsa sold for 600 taka to 700 taka at retail shops in the previous season while same-sized fish is being sold for taka 1500 to taka 1600 this season.

“Every year we get good-sized fish at a cheap rate and have the opportunity to taste it, but this year we can’t afford it,” said Hemayet Hossain, a plumber at Jhalokati.

Abdul Malek, a fish seller at the retail market of Choumatha in Barishal city, said, “Usually, we sold a huge quantity of fish during the season for its cheap rate, but this year the situation is totally different. We have to buy fish at high rate from the wholesale market.”

“We are catching fewer fish this season comparing to other seasons,” said Mosharraf Hossain, a fisherman from Char Fasson, Bhola.

“The supply of the hilsa fish at our market has decreased as fishermen are catching fewer fish in their nets,” said Abdus Salam, a wholesaler at Dhal Char Bazar of Char Fasson.

Md. Asaduzzaman, deputy director of fisheries department of Barishal, however, said, “According to the statistics of fisheries department of Barishal, the supply of fish has not gone down in comparison with that of other years. Until September 15, the fishermen of Barishal districts netted around 5500 metric tones of hilsa while the amount was almost the same in the previous year.”

The operating cost of catching hilsa as well as transport cost has increased by 30 to 40 percent than in previous years, which are the cause of high price, he said.

Besides, as a result of improved communications, the fish is now directly transported to Dhaka and other northern districts, rather than being brought to Barishal for sale, he said, adding that consequently, the quantity of hilsa has decreased at Barishal markets.