Padma Hilsa is another name of passion for the people of Kolkata as well as Bangladeshis. That is why traders are happy to get Bangladeshi Hilsa fish in the Kolkata market before Durga Puja. However, due to the skyrocketing price of the fish, some worries have appeared on the foreheads of the traders.

As soon as Padma hilsa reached the Kolkata market, traders complained that Gujarat's hilsa was destroying the Padma hilsa market in Kolkata. A Bengali who has once eaten hilsa worth Rs 500-600 will not easily buy hilsa worth Rs 1,700-2,000.

Earlier, the much-awaited Padma Hilsa reached the retail market from the wholesale market in Kolkata early on Thursday. The price was high on the first day, so the demand for Padma Hilsa among small retailers in Kolkata and the suburbs was comparatively low.

In the first phase, 38 metric tons of Padma Hilsa arrived in India through the Benapole border in 8 trucks on Tuesday night. The trucks reached the wholesale market in Howrah on Thursday. Since this morning, retail fish traders in Kolkata and Howrah markets participated in the auction to collect the fish. However, the retail traders were disappointed with the wholesale price on the first day.

Traders said that the market price they are seeing in the wholesale market on the first day is Rs 1,500-1,700 for 700 grams to 1 kg of hilsa. If it weighs more than 1 kg, it is being sold between Rs 1,800 and 2,000. This price will increase quite a bit in the retail market. However, this price is not final.

Shambhu Das, a fish retailer in Baghajatin, said, "I had quoted Rs 1,600 for 1 kg of hilsa, but they wouldn't pay less than Rs 1,700. They have to pay for it and take it to the market and sell it at a slightly higher price, even if it's a very low price of Rs 1,750. Such expensive fish won't work in our market."

He said, there was a huge demand for Padma hilsa in the Kolkata market, but the market was ruined by Gujarat's hilsa. If the market was not flooded with Gujarat's hilsa, the market would have remained the same.

Manoj Kumar Sau, a retail fish trader from Kanchrapara, said, "On the first day, the price is high, so we are struggling. The price difference with Gujarat's hilsa is about a thousand rupees. So, I don't have the courage to buy a large quantity of hilsa before understanding the demand in the market. Whereas in other years I buy 50/100 kg of fish, this time I am buying 29 kg. Because I will not be able to adjust to the Gujarat price. A buyer who has once eaten hilsa for 500-600 rupees will not eat hilsa for 2000 rupees. There is a demand for Bengal's hilsa, so it might be okay to buy it, but a buyer who used to buy two kgs may buy one kg."

A small trader from North Kolkata complains that the market for Padma hilsa has been ruined by Gujarat hilsa. There are many buyers who only like Bangladesh hilsa, so keeping in mind the needs of all buyers, they have to buy hilsa in small quantities. He hopes that if the arrivals start for a few more days in a row, the price may come down a bit.

Syed Maqsud Anwar, Secretary of the Hilsa Importers Association, said, "The landing of Hilsa in Bangladesh is low. Therefore, it is not possible to import Hilsa in sufficient quantities. On the other hand, Gujarat's Hilsa is now an alternative option for buyers. As a result, the price of Hilsa may increase or decrease depending on supply and demand."

The businessman also said that even though Bangladesh's Ministry of Commerce has allowed the import of 1,200 metric tons, the country will export this hilsa until October 5. They may not be able to import more than 500 metric tons of hilsa in such a short period of time.