With yield being abundant, Hilsa is back in the kitchen bringing joy for both fishermen and fish lovers in Odisha.
Last week, one KG of Hilsa was being sold as high as Rs 800-1000 range in Paradip and adjoining marketplaces. But the prices have nosedived for the past two days following enhanced catch. The price has come down to common buyers' affordable range of Rs 200-300 a KG.
"It's good news for fishermen communities. The return from seasonal Hilsa fish is a bonus for them. Since past three years, hilsa catch was on a lower side. Those living on fishing wait for the hilsa season to earn the extra sum. But they were not able to reap additional benefits following low yield. We are hopeful of fishermen compensating the deficit of past years," said District Fisheries Officer of Kendrapara, Gyan Ranjan Samal.
"The yield was negligible last week. But it has picked up since the past three days. Earning from fishing has also multiplied consequent with increase in catch. We had skipped fishing for a day due to bad weather. Now, we are going to resume hilsa fishing," said a traditional marine fisherman, Ranjit Majumdar.
"There was 45-day-long fishing ban from April 15 till May 31 in view of breeding season. Though the fishing activity restarted from June, operation has been interrupted on several occasions thereafter due to frequent formation of low pressure. The fishermen communities were lying low. Greater yield from Hilsa would be able to do away with the lean phase," said Kendrapara District Wing President, Orissa State Traditional Marine Fish-workers' Union, Tushar Sardar.
"Hilsa is now being sold at Rs 200-300 a kg range depending on its size. The price is expected to stay on the lower side in the coming days. Now it is within the affordable range of middle and lower middle class buyers" Paradip-based Hilsa trader, Ranjit Kumar Behera said.
"We savour hilsa curry. Drop in price has given us the opportunity to buy hilsa," said a local Himanshu Sekhar Dash.
Hilsa is a sensitive fish species. And its breeding ground is mostly concentrated in the confluence of river and oceanic waters. After being bred in fresh water, the fish makes its way to seawater again by undertaking a return journey to confluence points.
